What Doesn't Kill Us
by HeCallsMeHisChild
Summary: Thicker Than Water tale #4. Callie is now a powerful dark spirit, and Arthur is determined to find a way to purify her. There's one person the Mystery Skulls can turn to for help, but he vanished centuries ago. Meanwhile Inari Okami still seeks control of Mystery and Callie, as well as Arthur's execution...
1. Bedside Manner

"It goes without sayin' ya'll got a crapton of explainin' to do." Lance stood in the doorway of the hospital room, arms folded, shoulders stiff. "Door's shut, so spill the crazy talk."

To Vivi's left, Arthur lay on his back, looking more like a mummy than a man. His glowing eyes hadn't left Vivi's hands once, or what they held. Cupped carefully between her palms was a small black and white bird, one with a pair of yellow spectacles perched on its beak. She had leaned Excalibur against the hospital bed, the gem a dull obsidian in the sterile light.

Vivi's thumb stroked Mystery's wings distractedly. Her eyes were wide and she kept swallowing back her nausea. "So… confronting them… didn't go as planned…"

"Naw, really? I thought everything went over like a waterfall." Lance's brows furrowed. "Quit stallin'. Why's my nephew ripped up? And why's that Lewis kid still hidin' out in him?"

Mystery squawked as Vivi gripped tighter. "Mystery's first owner showed up to take him back. We stopped Them. Arthur got… hurt."

"Hurt how? Knifed? That's all I can tell 'em up front 'cause that's what it looks like, some sicko worked him over with a knife and cracked 'is ribs to boot!"

"Thorns. Huge thorns like you wouldn't believe."

"Doesn't 'splain why Lewis is starin' out at me and not my own nephew."

"Arthur lost a lot of blood." Vivi released Mystery, clutching her mouth for a moment, swallowing back bile. "Lew had to walk him… back."

"And the bird that's not a bird?" Lance demanded.

"Mystery hasn't talked to us yet, but he can't move much. He had to be smaller so I could take him back."

"And Girlie?" He gestured to the sword. "I'm no smith or jewelry polisher but that looks bad."

Vivi shook her head. She wasn't even sure what all happened to Callie. Lance tugged on his sideburns, muttering, "Fine. Talk yerselves and regroup or reconfigure. But you tell me what you come to after, y'hear? An' don't make Arthur talk too much. Gotta let his mouth heal."

Vivi pressed her hands to her mouth again, nodding, and Lance finally left. The second the door clicked shut, Vivi set Mystery on the side table and bolted for the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet in time.

_Bones. Blood. Organs. Lewis writhing on a spike, unable to breathe, screaming with no sound._

Vivi heaved into the bowl, choking and coughing as she struggled to steady herself. Numb, she flushed the toilet and dragged herself upright, rinsing her mouth out at the sink. She lifted her head, staring at herself in the mirror.

_Made it long enough to see the emergency through. Did what had to be done._

_ Lew…_

She left the bathroom, gripping the doorframe on the way out. Arthur's body was pressed up against the plastic side rail farthest from Mystery. "Lew… I need to see you."

Arthur's eyes shot over to her, then back to Mystery.

"I don't know what your problem is with him right now but I really need you Lew," she whispered hoarsely, "I need to see you okay… I know you're not, but…"

Slowly, Lewis lifted out of Arthur's body. His skeletal form flickered a moment before resolving into a human face with blackset glowing purple irises. He barely cleared the hospital bed before Vivi plowed into him, wrapping her arms around his middle and burying her face in his chest.

She felt one of his hands settle on her head, and swatted it away angrily. "I'll crack your salad bowl over a stack of hardbacks if you even think about it! I don't need my memories messed with anymore, what's done is done, can you just hold me for two seconds? I don't need you to protect my head! Can you just-"

His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close. "I'm sorry." His voice was thin and hollow. "I'm a little lost right now."

Vivi pulled away from him, walked across the room, grabbed a chair, and dragged it back. Slipping off her shoes, she stepped up onto the chair, grabbed Lewis by the shoulders and spun him around, pulling him close. "Turn your hair off." His human appearance vanished and his hair faded away, leaving only a bare skull. She tucked his head under her chin, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"It'll be okay Lew. We'll get through it. We always do."

Lewis reached up, clinging to Vivi's arms. "Vivi?"

"Yeah Lew?"

"I tried to kill Arthur."

"I know Lew."

"I hurt him Vivi."

"I know. I punched you in the face, I'm sure he'd call it square."

"He would. But he's lost too Vivi."

She squeezed. "You were in his mind last. Tell me what's going on in there."

"He failed Callie, that's the biggest thing."

"What the heckadoo happened back there?" She stroked his skull gently.

"I'm not totally sure, but it's like… she took Mystery's darkness?" He eased farther from the bed, and Mystery on the other side of it, dragging Vivi and the chair with him. "The second biggest thing on his mind is…" He swallowed. "Something else. Later. Third thing is wanting to punch Mystery for the stunt he pulled."

"Ok, that's what's on his mind that happened, why's he lost?"

Lewis' voice was somber. "He doesn't know how to fix it. And he thinks he's useless. That he's not doing anything."

Vivi pulled away abruptly. "He… WHAT?" She grabbed Lewis' skull and spun it around to face her. "Tell me you told him otherwise!"

"I was a little focused on keeping him awake until the ambulance got to us. He's in a lot of pain." Lewis' eyes flicked sideways at Arthur. "Or was, the drugs kicked in pretty fast. I don't even know how coherent he is right now."

Vivi took another look at Arthur. Without Lewis propping him up, his body sagged into the pillows, his eyes staring vacantly at the ceiling. Vivi climbed off the chair and took a step toward Arthur before Lewis grabbed her shoulder, yanking her back. "Don't!" His voice was edged with panic. "Don't get near him!"

"Lewis, what the furmongering swissballs is your beef with Arthur now?" Vivi demanded.

"Not Arthur." Lewis' grip tightened, and Vivi glanced at the tiny black and white bird, still perched at the edge of the nightstand on the other side of Arthur's bed, its head tucked under its wing. "Don't get close if you can help it, Vivi. You don't understand…"


	2. Sound Body

I am alive for the first time in my life. I can count every cell on my body and feel the vibration of every sound travel up the shaft of each feather. With my eyes shut I know the exact location of each human in the room by the sound of their words slamming off each others' bodies. I can smell Lewis' fear. Vivi's outrage. Arthur's despondency.

I smell cherry blossoms.

They are near, but They do not attack. They fear Callie.

I think I would fear Callie if I wasn't experiencing the sensation of stretching my lungs to fullness over and over, listening to a moth beating itself against the buzzing fluorescent hospital lights, and wondering how far I could go if I started flying now.

I will not leave Arthur, but my very bones ache to run, to soar, to leap to the sky and shout for joy.

I should be despairing right alongside Arthur, I should be more lost than Lewis, but gods above I can breathe deep and clear for the first time in eons. It's as though a dozen filters and dampers have lifted off senses that were already well beyond human capabilities. And it is as though I am a feather myself, and that the next wind will blow me away and I could not care less because I am no longer a stone.

I remember everything I did. I can still recall every scream of horror or broken sob I ever caused, but somehow it doesn't touch me. Because somehow, by some miracle, I did not do these things.

But I did.

But I didn't.

Gods, Callie, what have you done to me?

I tuck my head beneath my wing, muffling sound and smell as much as I can. I am a bird, how did I recall how to be a bird? It took me days of intense concentration to recall how to shift to human.

Of course. Inari Okami. They who take the shape They must to deal the justice They feel is deserved. They gifted me with some of Their traits. Shapeshifting was my first and greatest gift from Them, breathed into every corner of my being at my formation. But I'd glutted myself on so many dark souls, the memory of how to stretch my cells had faded, buried and lost over time.

Gods, Callie, what is happening to you right now?

The gravity of the thought doesn't match the freedom singing through my veins. Is this why water spirits are always joyful? I will never begrudge them their joy again, not a single drop.

Arthur is going to scream at me when he can speak again. For some reason, not even this bothers me. He was right, we will find a way. I don't know why I didn't see it before.

How is hope suddenly so easy to come by? It used to be always just out of reach.

Lewis reeks of fear. I do not blame him. I would be afraid of myself if I could just connect those actions to myself.

I did these things.

I did not do these things.

What is this contradiction? I lift my wing a fraction to peer at Callie. She rages black and caged in her prison, Excalibur. Arthur cannot hear her, but I can, and her tongue is vile and twisted, a corrupted version of high speech only the lowest of the spirit realm use in their cursing. She isn't even casting a curse, she is just cursing everything. Arthur. Vivi. Inari Okami. Me. Herself. Merlin. The King. His bride. The children of her lake. She rages and shrieks at the bond that keeps her from the blood she thinks will slake the pain.

My corruption was swift, but it came by degrees. Yet in an instant, she took all of it into herself.

Two things become very clear. First, by all the laws of the spirit realm, she owns my life. If she breaks free of Arthur in this state, she will likely claim it. Second, she cannot remain in this state. She must be restored. Whether I can connect myself to the actions that were done or not, they are my responsibility, and she will not suffer a second longer than she has to for the actions that were taken.

I pull my head free from my wing, stretching out my body and calling up clothes as wings and feathers become arms and hands and fingers. I turn to Arthur. I am still no healer, it is not my gifting, but Callie cannot be allowed to touch him, and I am all that is available.

But no, I am not all there is. I turn to Vivi. Lewis has placed her behind him. I tilt my head back for a moment, bracing myself. The elation subsides a touch as I level a gaze at Lewis. Every part of him radiates with the tension of a spring wound far too tight, and his eyes are fixed on me. I can see his hands glowing.

I take a moment to assess myself. So much of the darkness I consumed was my strength, my power. Now it is all gone, and I am so very much weaker than before. But Lewis is still a newborn ghost compared to me. He could injure me, but killing me is beyond him. Still, it would be best if I could reach an understanding with him, even if friendship is no longer an option.

Vivi is shouting at Lewis, telling him to get a grip. I roll my shoulders back, sighing. "Lewis, I cannot undo what you've seen. But all of those things that happened were no less true before you knew about them, yet you trusted me then."

Lewis doesn't answer, his palms glowing brighter.

Some of the heaviness is returning. "I am sorry I have burdened you with these memories." I dip my head. "And I am sorry I.." I falter. What do I say? I should have known better? But I couldn't have. I couldn't see an escape, or even hope for one. I did not know better, and I still do not. Only now, I have hope. Now, I would have chosen to stay if I could. "I did not know the right thing to do, and I did the only thing I thought to be right at the time." I shut my eyes, exhaling slowly. "Even aged spirits make mistakes. But Lewis, I would never harm you. Or Vivi, or Arthur. That has not changed. If anything, what Callie did…"

I still cannot put into words what she did. I look down at the sword. She was supposed to kill me. "Why didn't she kill me?" I shake my head. Now is not the time. Back to Lewis. "Lewis, you know none of you would have stood a chance against me if I wanted to continue in the ways you saw. When have I ever been a danger to you?"

Vivi's hands are on his shoulders. "Lew, whatever you saw, you know that's not Mystery anymore. Hasn't been for a long time."

The poor boy is torn. He knows I'm right, he knows Vivi is right, but he can't forget what he's seen. "Perhaps Arthur would be inclined to share some of his fonder memories of me with you at some point. I would prefer not to be at odds with you, Lewis."

Lewis' eyes shift over to Arthur, and I see him cringe. "Lewis?"

"He saw."

For one moment, my heart stops. "What?"

"I had my Deadbeats back. I jumped inside him. I told him he had to let go of his guilt and… then I looked at you."

_And remembered… inside Arthur._

I try to sit, but there is no chair, and I am on the ground quite suddenly. Vivi is in front of me, I am not sure how she got there. She is patting my face, and I can't make out her words. I am so very cold inside, and I can hear my heart in my ears.

_Arthur saw._

The scent of cherry blossoms is stronger now, and I hear the high speech faintly on the wind. It speaks of forgiveness, it speaks of open arms, and it speaks of a place to call home should I return to Them now.

Funny how They only speak of open arms and home now that I am purified, a useful tool that can once again perform as I was made to. Arthur knew what I was and he still wanted me to stay. Still wanted me as a friend. Never once used me as a tool.

The high speech mocks my decision. I will be discarded, They warn me, thrown out now that he's seen for himself. Then there will be no forgiveness from Them then, only destruction.

I fling out a hand, fumbling until I find Arthur's and grab it. "I will bet my life on this human." I am breathing hard. "I trust him. Get away, you are not welcome."

"Who's he talking to?" Vivi's voice breaks through.

I raise my head to answer, and see Lewis' Deadbeats flying for the window. I launch after them, a falcon with outstretched claws. I seize them by their tails and drag them back, screeching angrily at Lewis. He grabs them, eyes wide. He never even noticed them leaving. I return to human form, grabbing Lewis by the shoulders and shouting, "Do I not have enough to worry about without you being pickpocketed every two seconds?"

Lewis wrenches away, hair flaring. "Get back inside Arthur." I turn away from him. "At least then you're embodied and They can't steal your mind piecemeal. Where's my cane?"

"Mystery." Vivi speaks softly, but I don't want to hear her right now.

"Vivi listen, we have to try and heal Arthur. Callie probably didn't teach you much about healing, and I don't know how, but there must be some spells in your books. Get them, bring them here, I'll feed you the energy you need."

"Mystery."

"We'll have to be careful, but as long as we go slowly we shouldn't have any problems."

"Mystery!"

"What?" I turn to Vivi, snappish. Any good feeling hangs in the shadow of fear. What Arthur will say when he wakes up? I don't know, and I am in no mood to be lectured by a human right now.

"Your leg." She's staring down, and I follow her gaze.

I have forgotten to call up shoes for myself, and at the end of each pant leg I see a foot. Two feet, side by side, whole and real and mine. I pull up my pant leg, and there it is. Not an inch of metal.

Vivi's hand is on my face, and I realize my face is wet. I don't understand why my face is wet, but right now I don't understand very much of anything.

No, that is wrong. I understand what I have to do for Callie.

If only my face would stop leaking.


	3. Just A Glitch

_Welcome back to the hellhole. _The sarcastic greeting rang off the hollows of Arthur's chest as Lewis settled back in. _Would you like to order us some shoe leather steak while you're here? Seems I'm not going anywhere for awhile. Hell, maybe you should just take over, I'm obviously not doing anybody any good._

Lewis sighed. All he was getting was Arthur's emotional state. Arthur's mind was too clouded by the drugs to weigh in, and Lewis needed both working together. He located the IV that was feeding them painkillers and gingerly slid the needle free. It would take awhile to wear off, but they could at least start somewhere.

"Hey Arthur," Lewis focused his response internally, making sure he didn't move their shredded lips. He could see a gentle orange glow in the dark of their shared thoughts and drifted toward it. "Cheerful as always."

_Don't joke like you think it's funny. I know you don't._

"Yeah, but sometimes if you don't laugh you cry, and I'm already on the edge." Lewis settled beside the orange glow, floating next to it.

_ If it's about the beating me half to death thing, forget it. Had it coming anyway. Besides, you weren't fully you._

"Is it just me, or does that run around our group a lot?"

_ It's not just you._ Arthur's soul flickered morosely. _Remember when ghosts were just ghosts and demons were just scary and objects were exactly what they looked like? When did ghosts become friends and demons become protectors and objects become anchors for spirits we care about?_

"Arthur, that doesn't matter. There are other things we have to figure out."

_You figure them out. You and Vivi. I'm tired, Lewis. And I'm not _doing_ anything, I'm just sitting back and watching the rest of you fight for me._

Lewis snorted. "You… you really think…" He shook his head. "Arthur, you're an idiot."

_Thanks. I knew that._

"No, I mean it." Lewis stretched, reaching for Arthur's memories. "Seriously, how many reminders do you need?" He pulled up a memory, stretching it between his hands like a screen. Between his hands, Arthur was facing Lewis for the first time since his death, running for his life and cowering behind Vivi. Lewis took the memory and set it just to his left, then pulled up a more recent one. Arthur leaning on Excalibur for support, facing an enraged Lewis.

"Think, Lew!" The memory snapped. "You don't have all the pieces. Think about what doesn't make sense!"

"I don't know about you, but I'd call the ability to break through to a raging ghost pretty useful, and a fairly new skill you picked up pretty quickly. You went from 'Don't kill me Lewis!' to 'Lew I don't have time for your crap' pretty fast."

_ Yeah, well, that's 'cause it's you._

"You're right, okay let's go digging."

_ Let's not and say we did._

"Too late." Lewis plastered up a memory of Arthur, pinned to a stone table, addressing a rather murderous Vivi.

_Yeah. That turned out great. Morgause didn't listen to a word I said._

"Who said anything about Morgause? Morgause isn't who you got on your side that day."

Up behind Vivi rose Callie, eyes flashing, her mouth a hard line.

"Oh hey, what about this?"

Another memory surfaced, Arthur flinging himself in front of Mystery, taking the killing blow. Mystery turning on the Cave Spirit and taking him down.

"Yeah, Arthur, you're pretty useless. Let's not forget who figured out we should go to England, or who went in to find the sword, or who won't give up until we're all back together again."

The orange glow was silent.

Lewis put a hand on the glow. "Do you honestly believe that just because you can't shoot fireballs or cast spells that you don't do anything?"

Arthur's mind flicked back to the fights he'd been in, where he'd stood by holding his sword and doing nothing.

"Arthur, you don't get it!" Lewis smacked the glow lightly. "You _already did something _and that's why you don't have to when you get there. You know what you're good at, Arthur? You're good at getting allies, allies who care for you so much they'd do anything to keep you safe, and you even get them wanting to keep each other safe when they can't stand each other. You're good at figuring out what the next step is and how to get there. And you're good at keeping your promises." Lewis pointed at the memories of Arthur standing by with his sword. "I don't see you using Excalibur as a weapon, just like you promised her you wouldn't. Which is what you do for allies, and family. You keep your promises, you support each other, you protect each other."

_ But she's-_

"I know how she is right now, but that's something else entirely. She did something, and we don't know why, but it wasn't because of you and how useless you think you are."

_ Now who's going 'I don't have time for your crap'?_

"Yeah well sometimes someone has to knock sense into _you_ too."

Both of them winced, the first flickers of pain breaking through.

_Drugs are wearing off._

"I noticed."

_Do you hear Vivi?_

"Yeah. She and Mystery were going to try some healing voodoo or something from one of her books."

_That'll take awhile. Mind sticking with me? We should get to work._

Lewis grinned. "So you're done moping?"

_Shut up already. Can you pull up the time Callie showed me her past?_

"Sure." Lewis reached for the memory. "Why?"

_Call it a hunch. I feel like I missed something important. I wanna see it again._

"You got it." Lewis swept the others to the side and laid the requested memory out in front of them. "Let's see what you missed."

….

Vivi returned to the hospital room, a sling-bag full of books over her shoulder. Mystery sat exactly where she'd left him, cross-legged in front of Excalibur.

"Hey," she called softly. When he didn't respond, she crouched down, resting a hand on his shoulder. "I'm back. C'mon. We gotta help Squire now. We'll figure out how to help Callie together afterward."

Nodding, he stood, still favoring the leg he was used to taking extra care with. "Yes, but first I need to know something. When did you learn to shoot fireballs? It's obviously not a skill Callie taught you."

She shifted. "Is it that important?"

"I need to know where you draw the guidance for your magic. It's obvious you draw the energy itself from living things in your surroundings, but the guidance is equally as important."

She cleared her throat. "Well, it wasn't that hard. Callie taught me basic energy output, usually as a shield, but I noticed whenever Lewis blows his top he's a fireball. Callie wasn't going to teach me any attacks, so I practiced by myself. If I wasn't mad, I'd find a memory that made me angry, but if I was mad it was easier. Like today."

"So your emotional state is your guidance, not your mind." Mystery bit his lip. "It can pack more of a punch, but it's a fickle thing. Nevertheless, it's somewhere to start. Let me see what you have."

Vivi handed over her bag. "If I'd known you could read these this the whole time I'd have shaken you day and night 'til you talked."

"Yes, well, had I known you had Morgause's library of knowledge I would have removed Arthur completely. As it was, situations resolved themselves." He settled back into the chair, opening an ancient volume and paging through it.

Vivi sat in the chair on the other side of Arthur's bed. "His IV's out," she noted.

"Likely they want to be able to think clearly." Mystery watched as Vivi slipped her fingers into Arthur's metallic ones, his left arm the only part unbandaged.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Vivi asked.

Mystery turned his eyes back to the book, paging through faster. "Physically he will be fine. He will be even better when we are through with him."

"Mystery."

"The state of his soul is in his own hands. He has to learn how to move forward himself." Mystery set the first book down and picked up another.

Vivi held Arthur's hand, knowing neither he nor Lewis could feel a thing through that arm. "What about you?"

Mystery did not answer.

"Don't make me go over there."

"Vivi, you do not frighten me, and now is not the time."

Scowling, Vivi pulled her phone out of her pocket. She might as well text Lance some updates if she had time.

_arthur s working thru stuff w/lew. mystery &amp; i are gonna try healing_

A few seconds later her phone buzzed.

_if heeling works get food cover story. *good_

"Fultonberries." Vivi tucked her phone away, biting her lip. "Gotta explain a full recovery to the hospital."

"We can worry about that later." Mystery rounded the bed to stand behind her. "I found what we need."

"Great, but how come you can't do it?" She squinted up at him. "I'd think you'd have a better handle on it. I mean, it's a spell, right? It doesn't have to be an inherent ability."

"Exactly, but that is a difference between humans and spirits. You can harness magic through spells when you don't have the skill inherently. With a spirit, either we have a skill inherently or we consume a spirit with that skill. We cannot cast spells." He set the book face-up on the bed and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I can, however, pass you the energy you will need so that it doesn't cost you." He pulled his hands off very quickly. "That is, if…"

Vivi grabbed his hands and put them back on her shoulders. "Mystery, I've had it about up to here with everybody's self-pity party. I don't trust you any less than I ever have. If anything I trust you more. Now, talk me through this."

He touched his forehead to the top of her head briefly, and she could swear she heard amusement in his voice as he said, "As you say. Now, pull the bandages back from his chest and place your hands there."

She shifted to perch on the edge of the bed and reached over, feeling for any loose end or gap between the bandages. "No go, got something sharp for me?"

Mystery reached past her, and she started. At the end of his wrist was a set of knobby black digits with lengthy talons. He sliced a clean line through the bandages before returning his hand, human once again, to Vivi's shoulder.

"Dragon?" She asked, awed.

"Not now, Vivi."

She pulled the bandages aside, grimacing. There was a horrible black and green bruise covering most of his skin, and she could see several deep punctures from the thorns. She pressed her hands flat against his chest. "Okay, now what?"

"Look at the spell. Try and commit it to memory if you can, it's more effective if it comes from you and not the book."

Vivi studied the few sentences on the page, mouthing them silently to herself for a few minutes. "Okay, got it."

"Now, do you want to see Arthur healed?"

"Of course I do."

"Think about that. Think about what it felt like to see him get hurt. Focus on that feeling, and channel it through your arms, just like the fireballs, and speak the words."

Vivi closed her eyes. She reached for an image of Arthur being hurt, but what came to mind was not Arthur.

_Lewis._

Her head drooped as she tried to think of Arthur, but all she could see was Lewis, still struggling to draw breath around a spike.

"It's okay." Mystery squeezed her shoulder. "Emotion is only the guidance, you are still touching Arthur. If it is stronger for Lewis right now, use it."

Her throat tightened. _I wish I could have saved him. I wish I had this knowledge then. I wish he hadn't wiped my memories, I'd have given whatever time I had left to her…_

Warmth traveled down her arms, and she spoke the words from the book. As the warmth hit her fingertips, the faint scent of cherry blossoms drifted past her nose. Behind her, Mystery snarled, his fingers digging into her shoulders. She didn't dare stop, she didn't know what an incomplete spell would do. She continued pouring the warmth into Arthur's body until she reached the end of the spell.

The punctures began to seal themselves before her eyes, and the mottled green-black bruise faded to a healthy flesh-tone. Arthur's metallic arm reached up, tearing the bandages free from his face. With Vivi's help, they pulled the gauze off. There wasn't a scratch to be seen.

"It worked!" Vivi cheered, throwing her arms around Arthur. "It worked, are you two okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine Vivi." Arthur smiled, hugging her back. "Good job, and thanks."

She pulled back. "So, you two work things out alright?"

Arthur nodded, rubbing his light brown eyes. "Yeah, he got my head on straight again. You won't believe what we figured out."

"Well spill!" Vivi demanded. "Where'd you send him?"

Arthur paused. "What do you mean where'd I send him? He's still in me."

Vivi blinked. "Squire, your eyes are brown. Whenever you've got Lew, they glow pink. You're telling me you didn't send him somewhere?"

"No, he's still here." Arthur shrugged. "Maybe it's a glitch," he joked. "Anyway, guess where we're headed? Go on, guess."

"Um… where are we headed?"

A wide grin spread across his face. "Back to England."

…

**Note:** Just so you all know, as of this chapter there was a massive plot hijacking contributed to by Tumblr users path-wanderer and R5h. Not apparent yet, but will unfold shortly.


	4. Parasitic Relationship

"England? What's back there?" Vivi asked.

Arthur grinned, shaking his head. "Can't believe I didn't see it before Vivi! Well, I was pretty preoccupied with Callie but _still._ Check this out." He raised his hands, then blinked as nothing happened. "Eh, Lew? Little help? Projecting things?" He frowned. "Um… well, while he's working on that, I'll just tell you."

He dropped his hands, leaning forward. "So, I had a nagging feeling like I was missing something, and it's kind of been around ever since Callie showed us her past. I asked Lewis to play it again, then I picked out two scenes. Guess what Vivi?" He bounced slightly on his wrists. "At Callie's lake, at the very end when she gets thrown back in, there's an extra tree."

Vivi blinked.

"An extra tree! Like a big huge honking oak that wasn't there before, and couldn't have grown that big, not even in the time she spent with King Arthur!"

Vivi's eyes widened. "I-"

"I know!" Arthur threw his hands in the air. "Right away Lewis pulled one of his memories, where you two were debating in 12th grade English whether Merlin was turned into a tree or sealed into a tomb."

Vivi guffawed, punching Arthur's arm lightly. "Lew, you owe me ten bucks! So we're gonna find Merlin?"

"It can't be that simple!" Mystery gaped. "He can't have been there the whole time!"

"Wanna bet? I'm taking Vivi's side on this. I'm telling you, there wasn't an oak in that spot in the earlier memories, and then there's a giant oak!" Arthur waved his arms in the air to emphasize the size of the tree. "Tell me it's not possible, and I'll drop it."

"It's possible, but why would he do that?" Mystery pushed his glasses up. "It doesn't make sense."

"Who cares? We can ask him when we get there! He can fix all this, he can fix Callie, he can tell us how to shake Inari Okami! Hah, I haven't felt this good in weeks! No… months…" he shook his head. "Nope, can't remember the last time. It's gonna get better Vivi, I knew it!"

Vivi lunged forward, wrapping her arms around him tightly. "About time too. Good to have you back, Squire."

He squeezed her back tightly. "Good to be back. Now, let's scram. We have a pond to hop."

"We need a cover story for your sudden healing." Vivi grimaced, eyeing his bloodstained bandages.

"Just tell 'em I wanted to recover at home, and that nurse down the hall checked me out. They'll spend half a day trying to figure out which nurse before giving up."

Vivi rolled her eyes. "Got it. You and Mystery head out the window. I'll tell the desk." She paused. "What about her?"

Arthur glanced at Excalibur, still leaning against the bed. "I've got her. Meet me outside as soon as you're done. We shouldn't split up, even for a little bit. I get the feeling we're Inari Okami's main target right now."

Vivi flashed him thumbs up and headed out the door. Arthur stuck a leg out of bed, before whipping it back under the sheets. "Um, Mystery. Did they bring my clothes?"

"The only salvageable item of clothing was your pants." Mystery pulled a pair of fairly torn and stained jeans from under the bed. "You can mourn the vest later."

Arthur grabbed the jeans, slipping them on before climbing out of bed. Mystery passed him Excalibur's scabbard, which he buckled around his waist. He slipped Excalibur back into the scabbard and made for the window.

Mystery grabbed Arthur's shoulder. "Arthur?"

Arthur turned his head. "Kinda gotta get out of here, Mystery."

Mystery released his arm. "Yes. You're right. Nevermind."

"Besides," Arthur added, sliding the window open and popping the screen free, "if I have to explain why I don't think differently of you one more time, I might go crazy." He crouched in the window, slipping his legs down. "What was it you said… 'The state of his soul is in his own hands. He has to learn how to move forward himself.' Sounds like good advice, you should take it."

"You heard all that?" Mystery followed him out, landing next to him.

"I was hurt, not deaf." Arthur stuck his hand out to Mystery. "Congratulations."

"What for?" Mystery took his hand, confused.

"The leg. I'm glad you got it back."

Mystery looked down, shaking Arthur's hand slowly. "I still don't understand, Arthur. She was supposed to kill me if I became a threat."

"I'm sure. And she was supposed to obey my order to fall back, but she didn't. I don't think we'll get a straight answer out of her right now, but we can try once Vivi's back. Hey Lew, you figured out what's going on yet? Come on out already."

Arthur stood there for a moment, the smile on his face fading slowly. "What do you mean you can't? Lewis, this has never been a problem, just come on out." A few more seconds passed, and Arthur swallowed hard. "Okay, okay no big deal, we'll figure it out, why don't you take over for a bit and explain to Mystery, maybe he can figure it out."

Ten seconds passed, and Arthur exploded. "What do you mean you can't take over? Lewis, what's going on?" He turned on Mystery. "Mystery, talk to me! What happened? This wasn't a problem before…" He paused, alarm building as the color drained out of Mystery's face. "Before the healing… what happened?"

"I… I don't know. I did all the right things, I told Vivi how to direct energy, she read the spell, she focused on the image of healing. She felt stronger when she thought of Lewis, but it shouldn't matter."

"What shouldn't matter? And where's your shirt?" Vivi asked, coming up behind Mystery.

"Lewis can't get out!" Arthur shouted. "Or take over, he's stuck! What did you do?"

Vivi took a step back, hurt. "I just tried to heal you."

Mystery's eyes dropped to the sword. "Callie is shouting."

Arthur gritted his teeth. "Come on. Let's get clear of the town." He stalked off, muttering, "I swear we should just set up camp outside town limits and just live there."

…..

_"I know you're scared, but you don't have to be a jerk to Vivi about it."_

"I'll apologize later," Arthur muttered. "Still stuck?"

The fingers on his right hand wiggled. _"Well, that's more than I could do a few minutes ago. Maybe it's not permanent."_

"It better not be. You've got it bad enough as it is."

_ "I want to hear a really heartfelt apology to Vivi when we get to where we're going."_

"I will." Arthur rubbed his eye. "I promise. I'm just mad something went wrong again."

_"Are we clear of the town?"_

"Few more minutes."

_ "You can apologize to her now, on the way."_

"One track mind, Lew. One track mind." Still, Arthur dropped back to where Vivi followed at a slower pace, dragging her feet. "Um… Vivi, about back there… I know you were trying to help. And you did get me back on my feet. I'm sorry I yelled."

Vivi trudged on, her right hand clutching her left arm. "I talked to Mystery. Is Lew stuck 'cause of me?"

Arthur sighed. "We don't know why Lewis is stuck, or if it's even permanent. Look." He lifted his right hand, and his fingertips wiggled. "That was Lewis, not me. It's already getting better. Deep breaths Viv, we'll figure everything out."

"I guess. Think we're out far enough?"

"Yeah. I guess." He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Might wanna stand back guys. No telling what will happen." Clearing his throat, he called, "Callie, come on out."

Vile black liquid spewed from the sword, forming together and rising up to hover in front of Arthur. Her arms shot forward, plunging into his chest. He gasped, dropping to his knees as Lewis screamed.

"LET GO!" Arthur roared. She jerked back, leaving no wound as her hands slid free. Arthur braced himself against the ground with his hands. "Lewis, are you okay?"

"YOU FOOL KING!" Callie screamed, lashing the ground with her arms. She dug her fingers into the soil, tearing up clods of dirt and flinging them at Arthur. "YOU IDIOT! YOU DARE STOP ME FROM DOING MY DUTY, RELEASE ME!"

"No!" Arthur rasped. "You don't get to run around killing people at will."

"THIS ISN'T ABOUT THAT!" She shrilled. "EVEN THE DUTY OF KEEPING YOU SAFE IS DENIED ME, RELEASE ME BEFORE THE PARASITE KILLS YOU!"

"Stop that!" Arthur stood to his feet. "This isn't about Lewis, the situation is fixing itself. Don't you dare come after him again, do you hear me? Or Vivi or Mystery either?"

Callie threw herself on the ground, thrashing and tearing up everything in reach. "YOU'RE NO BETTER THAN THE SIRE, YOU NEVER LISTEN! I HATE YOU, I HOPE YOU _DO_ DIE, THEN I WILL BE FREE OF YOU!"

"What do you mean die?" Mystery demanded. "What do you know?"

Callie laughed bitterly. "The dog speaks. Tell me, what did you do when you smelled cherry blossoms? Did you stop the ill-conceived spell that you performed without the supervision of a REAL healer, or did you keep going?" She hurled a spray of dirt in Mystery's face. "YOUR MASTER WOVE THEIR JUSTICE INTO YOUR AMATEUR SPELL!"

Arthur stared at Callie, comprehension dawning on him, then lifted his right hand. "Lewis, don't move my hand at all, no matter what, okay?" The fingers went limp. Arthur stared hard at his hand. His eyes narrowed and his muscles tensed. Seconds passed, and sweat broke out on his forehead. For nearly three minutes he stared at his limp fingers, before lifting his head. "I… I can't move them."

"Of course not!" Callie raged. "You can't move them because they're not yours anymore! THEY BELONG TO THE PARASITE! And if you don't let me remove him PERMANENTLY, you will vanish from your own body in a matter of days!"

….

**Note:** Apologies if this chapter isn't quite up to par. Feels a little rushed to me, but I think I'm hitting a bit of writing burnout. For that reason I will be taking a break until early next week on this fic, and recharging my fictionloving batteries by reading and watching stuff I enjoy.


	5. Flight Preparations

The tips of Arthur's right-hand fingers began to glow, lighting up with flickering purple flames. Arthur's left hand flew up to his head, his fingers winding through his hair and clenching tight. "Lewis! Calm down! Please, I can't-I can't think straight!"

"Release me to do my work!" Callie hissed, slithering toward him.

He stumbled back, tripping and landing on his seat hard. "Stay back!" he cried. "You can't touch him!"

"Why not, Sire?" her voice dripped with venom. "You don't trust your tool anymore? You don't trust your healer? Have I become useless yet?"

"I _don't_ trust you to heal, not like this!"

She flipped onto her back, her arms clawing at the sky as she giggled. "Imagine that. The only part that is mine and I am forbidden to use it?" She rotated once again, advancing. "But I cannot be forbidden to use it. Not even you could forbid it."

"But I can." Arthur drew a shaky breath. "Because you and I both know you're not going to heal me. You're going to destroy Lewis. And I forbid you. There is no loophole to that."

"Then you seal your own death, and my release." Callie flipped over once again, idly flexing her fingers. "Then I will be more than happy to dispose of the parasite, give the Sire's descendant a burial, and claim what is mine."

"Claim what's yours?" Arthur winced, his fingers digging into his scalp.

"That would be me." Mystery exhaled slowly. "What she did saved me, perhaps not from death, but from a terrible fate. She owns my life now."

"Do you feel the clock tick tock, tick tock, dog?" Callie ran her arms over the ground, every flower and blade of grass blackening at her touch. "The Sire is fading, fading, and now you really can't run forever."

"You don't frighten me." Mystery sat, crossing his legs. "I know exactly what you are."

"Then you should be terrified."

"But I'm not. Funny thing." Mystery raised an eyebrow. "Does that bother you?"

"Stop!" Arthur fell over onto his side, bringing his knees up to his chest. He kept his right hand pointed away from his body as the flames spewed from his fingers. "Lewis! Please!"

"Mystery, can Callie hurt you right now?" Vivi asked.

"No. Arthur ordered her not to harm me, so I am safe for now."

"Tick tock," Callie snickered.

"I need you to keep an eye on her. Can you do that for me?"

Mystery nodded slowly. "Do what you need to do."

Vivi walked over to Arthur, prying his robotic hand out of his hair and slinging his arm over her shoulder. Hauling him up, she wrapped her other arm around his ribs and half-dragged him off.

"V-vivi, help," Arthur croaked, "I can't… he's screaming…"

"Keep it together, Squire." Vivi kept her face forward, still dragging him. "I can't think near Callie right now, and we have to talk privately. Just a little farther."

Arthur managed to get his legs under him and stumble along, still leaning heavily on Vivi for support. Finally, she reached a scrubby bush and set him down next to it. He rolled over onto his side again, keeping his flaming hand pointed skyward, away from the surrounding brush.

Vivi knelt beside him, watching him struggle to form a coherent thought, his mouth opening and closing with every failed attempt. Hooking her arms under his armpits, she pulled him up to a sitting position and wrapped her arms around him from behind, resting her forehead against the back of his neck.

"Lew, stop." She whispered. "You're hurting him."

The flames flickered, then burned out. Arthur dropped his hand back to the ground, his head sagging forward.

"I know what this means to you, Lew. You gotta know I know. But it isn't your fault. You're not trying to do this."

"Vivi, he's crying." Arthur choked on the words. "Why is Lewis crying?"

Vivi's arms tightened around Arthur's middle. "Lewis, it's not like that, okay? It's not."

"Vivi why is he talking about his family?" Arthur's voice pitched higher.

"This doesn't make you a murderer, Lew! None of this should have happened. I screwed up, I'm sorry." She pulled one arm back to scrub her eyes dry. "I'm sorry. But it isn't the end, okay? We have a lead, and there's time!"

"He says he has full control of my right hand now." Arthur slumped back against her. "It's true. I can't move it."

"We still have time! You both figured it out, Merlin can fix this. Please, don't give up, don't fall apart now Lewis."

Arthur sucked in a breath sharply. "Viv, he says… he says it's like he's killing his brother slowly. Am I…?"

"Of course you are, Squire. You didn't know that?" She ran her fingers through his hair gingerly, wincing at the sticky wet feel of blood. "He used to tell me how nice it was to feel like an older brother again. How much he missed his little brother."

Arthur lay very still for a moment.

"Squire, you're more family than either of us ever had." Vivi hid her face in the back of his shoulder. "I'm sorry you got dragged into all this. But we won't let this be the end. We're all on the same page, we can do anything, right? We beat the Cave Spirit, Morgause is out of the picture. We can do this."

Arthur twisted around carefully until he was able to face Vivi. He lifted her face, carefully wiping her tears away. "I know. But Lewis needed the reminder. Thank you Vivi." He pulled her face forward and kissed her forehead. "That's from me." He kissed her cheek. "That's from Lewis. Except it's supposed to go here," he touched her lips, "But that'll have to wait until he's himself again."

Vivi gave a short laugh, wiping her face dry again. "Yeah, I got it. So, you got a plan, Squire?"

Arthur nodded. "Yeah. And we should get it going as soon as possible. Lewis, I know you're not gonna like this, but you and I have to talk contingency plans on the ride over."

"Ride?" Vivi raised an eyebrow. "We don't really have the funds for another flight to England, we just recovered from the last one."

"Who said anything about a plane?" Arthur grinned.

…...

"Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock," Callie sang, wriggling around in front of Mystery.

Mystery eyed her tiredly. "You can sing that for fifty years, you're not scary."

"Sire thinks I'm scary. Did you see his face?" She giggled. "Scary Lady of the Lake, murdering water spirit, spirit of Excalibur. I wonder what his face would say if I could ignore him and rip out the parasite. Do you think he would cry? He probably would." She raked her fingers across the ground. "He is such a WEAK king."

"And yet he commands you. Funny how life works out."

"Keep talking, dog. I don't need many reasons to kill you when he's gone, but if you feel the need to add to them, I welcome it."

"Callie, what were you thinking?" Mystery dropped his face into his hands. "You couldn't possibly have known, you-"

"Stupid water spirits," Callie chanted, "stupid water spirits, they don't know anything, they never consider the consequences, they're just stupid, silly little children. I KNOW what you think of me!" She flipped onto her arms, pacing like a caged creature. "Well you're WRONG. I knew exactly what I was doing."

"And what was that?"

"Guessssssssss." She smirked at him.

"You must have picked up on what Arthur really wanted." He studied her carefully. "He said to retreat, but you knew he wanted me saved. You were just following orders."

A spasm passed over her features, her smirk twisting in pain for a moment before reforming. "Good guess. Dog is smart."

"Yes, dog is smart." Mystery's eyes narrowed. "Dog guessed wrong on purpose, your face says there's more. You weren't following orders. Healing is yours, the only part of you that can't be commanded, which is how you could refuse his command to retreat. But you could have retreated. You should have. Why didn't you?"

"Guesses guesses get you nothings nothings."

"Why did you free me?" Mystery demanded.

"Mysteries for the Mystery and nothing more."

"You said my name." Mystery leaned forward. "You'd never called me by my name before, but you said my name right before you healed me."

Another spasm wracked Callie as she stopped pacing.

"Callie, why did you do it?"

Her mouth twitched, the corners pulling down. "It doesn't matter. It is done."

"It matters to me!"

She snorted. "Then perhaps I will tell you. I'll whisper it in your ear as you bleed out your life with my anchor through your guts. You can consider it a final gift."

Mystery rubbed his temples. "I know you can't think clearly right now, but you have to-"

"HAVE TO WHAT, DEMON DOG?" Callie flung herself at him, pulling up just a few inches short as Arthur's command halted her. "HAVE TO WHAT? DO NOT TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SINCE YOU WERE FORMED THAT YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED THE FREEDOM I WAS BORN INTO! YOU HAVE WHAT IS MINE, AND WHAT HAS BEEN LOST TO ME FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS! AND NOW I HAVE WHAT IS YOURS, AND I… I…"

Mystery slowly stretched out a hand, holding his palm facing forward, just in front of Callie's face. "You have a darkness you were never meant to contain, and it hurts everywhere, doesn't it?"

Her eyes closed, and she lowered herself to the ground in a little puddle of inky liquid. "Everywhere."

He moved his hand with her, keeping it just in front of her face.

"I seen it." She curled in on herself. "Seen it myself. How hard you tried. How much regrets, so much regrets. Big giant thorns holding you, never letting you go. Making it worse, always making it worse, going to be driving you. Going to be controllings you. Making more and more pain, feeding themselves on your regrets. And you tried so hard."

"You healed me because you _wanted_ to?" Mystery gaped.

She lifted her head, her mouth stretching round and wide as she wailed. She jammed her face into the ground, scraping it back and forth in the rotting grass.

Mystery pulled his shirt off and wrapped it around his hand and forearm. He placed his swaddled hand on top of her head, and immediately she stilled. He didn't say anything, only stroked her head gently until she broke the silence.

"Mystery."

"Yes, Callie?"

She lifted her face to him, and for a moment her face was a clear blue. "Help me," she rasped, "please."

His hand began to steam as dampness crept through the cloth to his skin, but he held it on her head. "I will do everything I can," he promised. "And so will Merlin, once we find him."

Callie jerked away from him, her face swirling with shades of red and black. "We will not find Merlin. I don't care what the Sire says, Merlin is gone. I will not see him again."

Mystery ripped the shirt off his arm and threw it aside, grimacing as he tended to his hand. "We shall see."

"Hey, Mystery!" Mystery glanced up to see Arthur and Vivi returning.

"It seems Lewis has calmed." Mystery peered at Arthur. "And how are you?"

"I'm fine. What about you?" Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Usually you'd be freaking out right about now too."

Mystery's shoulders lifted and dropped in a weary shrug. "I'm learning it's best not to underestimate you even in dire circumstances. This is merely another obstacle."

Arthur grinned, grabbing Mystery's hand and pulling him up. "That's more like it. Speaking of obstacles, we don't have money for a flight to England."

"Or time," Mystery mused. "Likely Lewis will have squeezed you out entirely by the time the plane lands."

Arthur nodded. "So that just leaves one question. How fast can you fly?"


	6. Contingency Tsunamis

Arthur inhaled deeply, opening his mouth and tasting salt on the air. "So much better than the plane." His knees locked tightly around the base of Mystery's neck. A thick rope secured him and Vivi in place, but neither of them were keen on letting go just yet, Arthur clinging to the black and red scruff along Mystery's neck and Vivi with her arms wrapped around Arthur's waist.

Mystery's fur shone in the sun as he zipped along the surface of the ocean, bobbing up over the small swells. His forelegs tucked close to his chest and the rest of his body trailed ribbon-like behind him. Occasionally a dolphin or a whale would break the surface nearby, leaping into the air and crashing back with a terrific splash. The whales' landing would send larger swells their way, which Mystery promptly skimmed over. Arthur could see Mystery's distorted reflection in the water, and marvelled at the strange beauty of the eastern dragon.

"I'm gonna be so sore tomorrow," Arthur chuckled. "Well, maybe Lewis will be sore."

"That's not funny, Squire."

"Yeah, he just yelled at me too. You both need to lighten up. We're on a dragon, flying over the Atlantic. Enjoy it."

"I'll start enjoying it after you tell me what you mean by 'contingency plans'. I don't like the sound of that."

Arthur sighed, testing the knot again with his mechanical hand. Lewis fumbled with Arthur's right hand, trying to help. "Do we have to right now? There's still time, he's just up to my elbow, and I'm having fun being a dragon rider."

"Squire."

"Lewis, when you get to my mouth, tell her to lighten up, she never listens to me."

"Arthur Rebbs!"

Arthur winced. "Yyyyyyessss Vivi?"

"What do you mean by contingency plans?"

Arthur sat up straight, resting his robotic hand on Vivi's arms. "Vivi, listen. I think things are going to work out. I think we're going to make it. But just in case we don't, we're going to have to talk a couple of things out."

"I don't want to hear you talking like that, Squire."

"Well you're going to have to deal with it Viv." He craned his neck to stare back at her. "You had to set some things in order too when you weren't sure you'd make it. Gimme the decency of doing the same."

Vivi averted her eyes. "I just don't like thinking we might lose you."

He squeezed her forearms gently. "I know. But we have to think about it. First, Lewis." He took a deep breath. "If things don't work out, Lew, I don't want you to feel bad about having my body." He winced. "Lew… LEW. LEWIS." He took a deep breath. "If you'd stop swearing for two seconds and just LISTEN." He glared ahead for a moment, before resuming. "Lew, I don't have a hell of a lot I can give you, okay? Fate's been pretty crappy to both of us for the last couple years, and these are the cards we've got. So if this is what we've got and my time's up, then please, at least let me give you this. Can you do that, Lew? Otherwise…" The corner of his mouth twitched up slightly. "It's kinda gonna go to waste. OW!"

Vivi smacked him upside the head. "Not funny!"

Again, Arthur turned his head, his eyebrows pulling together. "What do you want from me, Vivi? Do you want me to flip my lid? Do you want me to scream and cry and give up and spend what could be my last few hours in a miserable heap?"

Vivi clenched her teeth. "No. Yes. I… I don't know. I just… I don't get how you're so calm about it!"

Arthur's expression softened. Gripping Mystery's mane with one hand, he carefully twisted around until he was sitting side-saddle. He wrapped his free arm around Vivi. "Vivi, over the past few months, Lewis tried to kill me. An ancient demon killed me. A crazed hell-bent medieval ghost lady tried to seduce AND THEN kill me. In your body, I might add. Lewis tried to kill me. Some weird multiple god type thing tried to kill me." His grin widened. "Some might even say the world's out to do me in."

"Squire, don't you dare."

"And you know what?" His eyes twinkled.

"Squire, I swear to dill..."

"It's alright, cause I'm with friends. OW."

"You just HAD to."

Arthur winced, cradling the side of his face but still grinning. "Look, either we'll figure this out or we won't, but either way, I'm not scared anymore. Don't ask me to go back to that Viv. I'm so done with it."

Vivi ducked her head, still holding onto him. "So. What do you have to say to me?"

"I'll need you to look after something for me, but we can talk about that when we land. You too Mystery, I need to talk to you both face to face."

"If that is the case, I advise you both sleep," Mystery rumbled. "I believe you only had a short nap in the past two days, and it is still several hours before we reach England."

"Okay, but Mystery? How's Callie?"

Mystery sighed. "Cursing everything. She's not happy you put her back in the sword."

"Well she can't fly well right now, and she can't ride on you without hurting you both, there's not a lot of other options."

"She doesn't particularly care right now."

Arthur shifted to face forward again. "He's right. We should catch what sleep we can. Who knows what we'll have to deal with on the other side."

…

What woke Arthur was the sudden disorienting feeling of hanging upside down, but what jolted him to sharp and unpleasant alertness was the rush of saltwater up his nose. His perspective twisted sharply again, and he spewed seawater, choking. "Mys-"

Mystery doubled back on himself and then shot skyward, his body twisting as he climbed.

"Squire!" Vivi screamed. Against his better judgment, Arthur glanced down. Massive, razor-sharp teeth clashed together where Mystery had been a moment before. Lantern yellow eyes the size of hot air balloons stared balefully at them as the sea serpent lunged even higher, opening its maw and inhaling deeply. Mystery's climb slowed, then halted completely as he struggled to fly higher.

"YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM!" Mystery roared, bending his body and darting forward, out of the downdraft.

Arthur clutched Mystery's mane. "Is that...?"

"Yes!" Mystery snarled. "And over my dead body!"

Arthur grinned. "I think it's over mine, actually."

"ARTHUR NOT NOW!"

"Why not? Good grief Mystery, all you had to do was wake me." He made to reach for Excalibur. His shoulder twitched, but his right arm didn't move. "Um… Lew… I need your help. Work with me?" And then his arm moved, the fingers wrapping around the hilt and yanking the blade free. "Callie, scare Inari Okami off."

The sea serpent had vanished, but behind them a second dragon snapped at the tip of Mystery's tail.

"Callie? Any time now!" Arthur urged. He glanced down at the sword, the gem dark and unresponsive. "Callie?" A shadow blotted out the moon

"FLOOR IT MYSTERY!" Vivi screamed, clutching Arthur in a death grip. "INCOMING TSUNAMI!"

Behind him, Arthur could see Inari Okami abandoning Their chase and fleeing alongside Mystery as the ocean bulged behind them, a giant swell rising as it chased the tiny group. Mystery straightened his body, flashing ahead like an arrow, gasping as he poured all his effort and magic into speed.

Inari Okami split off to the side as the top of the swell crested, curling over and splitting in two. One wave turned, still overshadowing the fleeing god, while the other hung over Mystery.

"Callie, what are you doing?" Vivi screamed. "Stop!"

"She can't hurt us." Arthur gripped Mystery's neck. "She can't. She's trying to scare us."

"IT'S WORKING, SQUIRE!"

"Yeah, I know it's working!" Arthur growled. "But she can't do anything!" He swallowed, watching as the wall of water curled over their heads and began its descent. "She can't. She can't."

Mystery's flight dipped with exhaustion, his claws trailing in the water as he pressed on. The wave dropped lower and lower. Mystery turned sideways and fled through the tunnel as the tip met the ocean and began to churn. The water was so close Arthur could reach up a hand and touch the curl over his head. They were peeling along so fast Arthur's cheeks pulled back to his ears in a grimace.

Arthur's right arm sheathed Excalibur and pointed just ahead of them where the opening of the watery tunnel was shrinking. Arthur glanced down at it in surprise as his palm began to glow, his arm shaking with the effort of holding it against their forward motion. A dark, bitter anger spiked through his chest, boiling over and pouring down his arm and out of his hand in a fireball. It swelled in his hand as his hand held it, waiting.

As the opening closed and Arthur felt the water brush the top of his hair, his arm wound back like a pitcher and hurled the fireball. The flames burst through the water, clearing a space for Mystery to pass. Arthur could hear the terrific crash of the monstrous wave spending itself on nothing, and he thought he heard a squeal of rage on the night air.

He gripped the hilt of Excalibur. "That's enough, Callie. Back to the sword."

Mystery's flight gave out abruptly and he plowed across the surface of the ocean. Arthur barely grabbed his nose before Mystery's body began rolling over and over, ducking the passengers repeatedly.

Arthur's head scraped across gravel, and Mystery's body came to a sudden stop against a pile of rocks. Mystery groaned, clutching at the rocks and clawing to climb onto them, only to slip back down.

Arthur's right hand latched onto the sodden knot of ropes anchoring him and Vivi in place, flaring white hot. The rope fell apart in a confusing mass of soggy ash. Arthur and Vivi leaped clear of Mystery, splashing into chest-deep water as the dragon shifted into a Kitsune, staggering weakly into shallower waters.

Arthur grabbed Vivi's hand, following as Mystery led them onto a gravelly shore. He made it just past the tide line before collapsing in a sodden heap, completely spent.

"Wel...come… to… Eng...land." He managed.

Arthur's eyes widened. "We… but it was going to be hours more, wasn't it?"

His right hand came up, gingerly tracing a line from Arthur's shoulder across half of his chest, and down his right leg.

"You're that far already?" He tested his leg. "Yeah, you've got that." Arthur eyed Excalibur. "Lew, do you think she knew? Was she pushing us faster?"

"Succeeded." Mystery snorted water from his muzzle, too tired to shake himself dry.

"Still confused though." Arthur's eyes narrowed. "Still wanted me dead. But didn't finish it." He turned to Vivi. "Vivi, I think my time's pretty limited if Lewis has half already. I need to wrap up with you."

Vivi nodded, shivering in the cold. "What do you need, Squire?"

"I need you to take care of someone who needs a lot of help." Arthur unbuckled his belt and pulled Excalibur and the sheath free. "Someone who doesn't want your help right now, but will thank you if we succeed."

Vivi's eyes widened. "Squire…"

"Morgause didn't take her, Vivi. She could have really easily, but she demanded I hand Excalibur over and verbally give over all responsibility to her." He stared at her steadily. "It only didn't work because Callie didn't give herself to me first. Now she has. When Lewis reaches my throat, I won't be able to command her. I can't hold her back, I can't ask her to defend, I can't do anything but watch. Viv, will you take care of Callie for me?"

Vivi's eyes glistened and she nodded silently.

"Then I, Arthur, of the line of Uther give to you, Vivi of the line of Uther, Excalibur. I give you all rights, powers, and bonds inherent in the sword, and charge you with her care."

The gem in the hilt flashed, and he could feel the sword vibrating in his hand.

"Angry." Mystery panted.

"Yeah. She thought she'd be free when I died." He pulled the gem up to eye-level. "I'm sorry Callie. But I made you a promise, whether you care anymore or not. One way or another it will be carried out." He handed the ensemble to Vivi, who buckled it carefully around her waist.

Arthur felt deep weariness sink into his bones, and he staggered over to Mystery, kneeling at the end of the kitsune's snout. He settled his mechanical arm on Mystery's nose. "Hey Buddy. You did a really amazing job getting us here."

Mystery's eyes closed. "Don't. Not. Goodbye."

"Yeah. Well. Just in case, while I still can." He kept his hand in place, squeezing slightly. "Not like I've got anywhere else to go. But you know, you're very brave Mystery. I'm honored I got to know a kitsune like you."

Mystery's eyes flew open, fixing on Arthur intently. Arthur raised his eyebrows, running his hand gently along Mystery's snout. "You remember that, right, 'Stree?"

Mystery's eyes focused on Arthur's arm, nearly crossing, before returning to Arthur's face. He whuffed quietly in acknowledgement. Arthur kept his hand there a few moments longer, before pulling away and laying down, curled up on his side. "Whatever comes next, we all need rest. Vivi, c'mon. We're all sopping but there's no wind at least."

Vivi stumbled over, collapsing next to Arthur. Mystery managed to curl himself around the two of them before surrendering to exhaustion.


	7. Which Heir

Vivi woke with a start. She wasn't in her bed. In fact, she was pretty sure she wasn't even in her room. Stars lit the night sky, and next to her Arthur lay on his side, snoring loudly. Mystery lay fast asleep as well, and she usually didn't wake for anything short of her triple-set alarm clock. So why-

_ "Wake."_

The word hummed through her chest. She hadn't heard a sound, but she _felt_ the word pass through her. It was a ghost, and an old one at that. She whirled around, but saw no one. But something else was whispering too. She glanced down.

Her fingers were curled around Excalibur, and thin black strings anchored her hand in place. Callie's voice rose and fell in an eerie chant as the strings laced farther up Vivi's arm. Clawing at the strands did no good, and Vivi couldn't let go of the sword. Rearing backward, she slammed her body into Mystery's ribcage as hard as she could. He jerked back with a yelp, rolling over and bolting to his feet, staring about for an enemy.

Vivi opened her mouth, but the strings slid into her mouth, winding around her tongue and teeth, choking off her cry.

Mystery crouched, eyes narrow as he bared his teeth. Jerking his head, he opened his mouth, exhaling a soft red light. It curled toward Vivi, sending off small spiraling shoots and leaves like ivy. It wound around the black strings and they began to break, disintegrating.

"Tell her to stop, Vivi!" Arthur lay there, watching her. "Tell her to stay in the sword and be silent!"

The strings crumbled out of her mouth and she coughed, spitting the remains out. "C-Callie knock it off! S-stay in the sword, and shut up!"

The chanting ceased, and she pulled her hand free. Mystery shut his mouth, and the red ivy vanished.

"What the frickle dickle was that?" Vivi exploded. "Was she trying to kill me?"

"Corrupt you." Mystery padded over, sniffing her carefully. "That is the same speech I used to corrupt the King." He nudged her head gently. "No residue, it was caught in time."

"Okay, so who just woke me?" She demanded.

Arthur blinked. "I just woke up to Mystery growling and what looked like a black net crawling up your arm. Wasn't me."

"It certainly wasn't me, considering it was you who did the waking," Mystery remarked pointedly.

"Did Lew get free to tell me? It was a ghost for sure."

Arthur's eyes unfocused for a moment as he searched for Lewis. He sighed. "No, it wasn't him. He's up to my chest now though."

Vivi smacked her forehead. "And we fell _asleep?_"

"Hey, we were all tired!" Arthur protested. "Don't hit yourself!"

"You're lucky I DID wake up!" She marched over, hauling Arthur to his feet. "Lewis, since you've got the legs you'd better start walking him. We've gotta get going."

Mystery crouched as Lewis heaved Arthur's body up onto the kitsune's back. Vivi scrambled up behind them. Mystery's fur was damp, but no longer soaked, but both humans shivered as the light breeze hit their wet clothing.

"N-nothing for it. We have to g-go. Remember the way to the lake, Mystery?"

Mystery lifted his nose to the wind, inhaling deep. "I know the way. Hold tight."

Arthur's body crouched low over Mystery's neck. "Really tight Lewis, he means it." His right hand clutched the fur, white knuckled.

Vivi locked her arms around his waist. "Ready, Squire."

And then they were flying across the beach, sand spraying as Mystery's paws churned the ground in passing. Vivi and Arthur ducked lower to avoid being ripped off his back.

"He wasn't this fast last time!" Arthur marvelled.

Their surroundings blurred, the landscape details bleeding together in a mix of dull, shadowy colors. Gradually, Mystery arced to the right, aiming inland. Vivi lost track of time. Ten minutes? Twenty? There was no way to tell.

Finally, Mystery slowed, sliding to a stop in front of a large hill. The ground was oddly shaped, with large crater-like pockmarks and parallel trenches that fit the spread of Mystery's paw.

"You guys weren't kidding about your last fight here." Vivi slid to the ground, grabbing Arthur's hand and helping him down. "Alright, so go on in and get Merlin."

Arthur nodded, his legs walking him toward the hill. He paused just in front of it, and cranked up a smile for Vivi. "It'll be fine. Just watch." Then he turned, took one step, and faceplanted into the side of the hill.

"OW! The hell?" His legs stumbled back, and his mechanical arm rubbed his face. "What's going on?" Lewis moved Arthur close to the hill and pressed his right hand where the opening had been before. Smooth rock repelled him. "What's going on?"

"She is laughing," Mystery growled.

"Get out here, Callie!" Vivi shouted.

Callie spilled out of the sword, splashing to the ground and cackling. "Son of Uther son of Arthur, King's son going, going, gone. Can't get in through the loophole of before 'cause it's not Arthur, no, it's the loyal ghosssssssst and you're NOT welcome." She clapped her hands together slowly. "Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock."

Arthur stared at the side of the hill, eyes wide. "But… we're here… he's… he's right on the other side." Both hands pressed against the hill. "Mystery… there has to be something."

Mystery cringed, lowering his head. "I smell cherry blossoms."

Arthur's head turned. "But They're not here…" His leg kicked the hill as he and Lewis reached the same conclusion. "because They don't need to be. They know we can't get in. Not in time." He turned, setting his back to the hill and sliding down to a seated position. "I'm sorry Lew, Vivi, Mystery. I tried."

"Not just yet." Vivi whirled on Callie, shouting, "Listen up you mower-finned sack of molasses from a fountain pen's night terror! You're going to stay here with Arthur, Lewis, and Mystery. You're not gonna hurt any of them, and you're not gonna LET anything hurt them, are we clear?"

Callie rose up on her arms slowly, oily drippings sizzling on the ground below her. "And what, daughter of Morgause, are you going to…" Her eyes widened. "No."

"Stay strong Squire! Keep him here, Lew!" Vivi turned, dashing for the hill. "I'll be back!"

"NO!" Callie lunged after her. "DON'T YOU DARE!"

Vivi vanished into the side of the hill, and Callie threw herself at the rock, splashing against it as Vivi's command restrained her. "DON'T!" She wailed, clawing at the hillside. "DON'T WAKE HIM, DON'T FIND HIM, DON'T WAKE HIM!" She slid down the face of the hill, curling up in a little ball and rocking. "Please…"

Mystery heaved a sigh of relief. "Clever Vivi, still a step ahead." Mystery tensed, sniffing the air. "No more cherry blossoms, but…" his tails swept back and forth slowly. "What is that… I know that scent…"

"Stree?"

Mystery returned his attention to Arthur. His ears flattened against his skull. One of Arthur's eyes now glowed pink.

"Stree, I know it's gonna be okay now, but I'm still a little scared."

Mystery padded over and settled in front of Arthur, laying his head across Arthur's body. "I won't let it out of my sight. We've gotten this far, Arthur. Don't start underestimating your plan now."

Arthur swallowed hard. "I know, Stree." His remaining brown eye shifted, searching for Callie. "Hey, Callie. It'll be okay. I promise." His voice cracked as his vocal cords faltered. "You'll get better soon. Just stay…" His mouth moved, but no sound came out. Deep brown was overtaken by glowing pink, and there was silence for a moment.

"Stay strong." Lewis' voice came out of Arthur's mouth, heavy with sorrow. "That's what he was going to say. Stay strong."


	8. Say Something

Vivi didn't stop to wonder at the fact that she could still see the stars after passing through a hillside. She was running out of time. _Squire_ was running out of time. She hurried up to the lake. She'd been very disoriented after Callie healed her, so it looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place all the details. She peered around the edges of the lake. Several large trees grew nearby, some even bent over and trailing branches in the water. Merlin could be any one of them.

"Okay think." She stood at the edge of the water, scowling at the trees. "I'm Merlin, and I'm turning into a tree." She paused. "No good, he could have magicked himself across the other side if he wanted, probably. Okay Vivi, you have thirty seconds to figure out which tree. Or at least how to figure out which tree." She crossed her arms, staring hard at the nearest willow.

A breeze wound through the branches of the trees, the leaves rustling softly.

Vivi snapped her fingers, lighting up. "Of course!" She walked up to the nearest tree and placed her hands against the bark, closing her eyes. She focused on the life in the tree, tugging gently on it, draining just a tiny bit. It felt no different than draining energy from her surroundings earlier, so she moved on. Inari Okami's trees had been charged with high-energy magic. If a human had really changed into a tree, the magic she absorbed would have a different feel.

She hurried to the next tree, and the next, and the next. With each tree she grew more frustrated. She didn't have time to circle the whole lake. It had already been ten minutes since she entered. She was wasting Squire's time!

Her fingers curled into the palms of her hands as she stormed to the next tree. It was her fault. She should have just let him heal on his own. Callie was right, Vivi wasn't a healer, she'd just hoped she could pull it off and went along blindly poking her nose into an area of magic she'd never been prepared for. Squire wasn't going to suffer for her mistake, not if she could help it. She slammed her hands against the trunk of the tree, her fingertips sinking slightly into the bark. "Come ON, which one of you is Merlin?"

_ "One is different."_

Vivi spun on her heel, eyes darting around. "Okay that's the second time, WHO ARE YOU?"

But no one answered, and no one appeared. Frowning, she inspected the trees again. Most of them were willows, poplars, or cottonwoods. She squinted, looking for anything out of the ordinary-_there._

A single oak tree grew at the edge of the lake. She rushed over, and the second she touched the wood she knew. The energy wasn't the steady, slogging growth of a tree. It was crackling and alive and beating itself against every cell of its prison.

She couldn't screw this up, but no one had taught her how to transform a tree into a human.

"Merlin? Can you hear me?"

The energy sparked blue at her fingertips. He was there.

"I don't know what to do. I found you, but I don't know how to get you out. Do you know?"

Her hands sank into the trunk. She jerked back, but she stuck fast. Her skin darkened, hardening and splitting into patterned ridges that spread up her arms.

_No! This isn't supposed to happen!_

She tried to call fire to her hands, but felt even that magic draining out of her. The oak before her shrank, shedding leaves and branches and large sections of its trunk. Vivi couldn't move. Her vision blurred, but she thought she saw a humanish figure lying on the ground. Her mouth refused to work, and she was having trouble remembering why it was so important for her to talk to this figure.

The figure crawled toward her, and she watched with detached fascination as it laid hands on her roots. Roots, she had always had these, hadn't she? A frantic, gutteral chant rose from the figure.

Those weren't roots. Those were feet. Feet with toes, feet attached to ankles and legs. Those legs buckled, sending her sprawling to the grass. Thick, blockish fingers pulled back her eyelids as a concerned face peered down at her. His-it was a he, right? Her thoughts hadn't caught up with her-mouth was moving, but the sound was delayed. Had her hearing been scrambled too?

"Can you hear me? Are you well? Say anything!"

There, it synched finally. And details began to fall into place. He matched the visual from Callie's projection perfectly, down to the red hair and the birthmark across his face, though the color had faded some from his hair and his face bore more lines than before.

"What was that for?" She croaked. "I came to get you!"

He exhaled a breath and wrapped an arm around her, easing her into a sitting position. "And you have my gratitude, but you seem to have no experience, and in order to dissolve the spell I had to be free of it first. Transference is simple enough, even as a tree. Apologies madam, and once again, you have my gratitude."

"Save it." She shook her head. "You're Merlin, right?" At his nod, she raised her arm, pointing back to the entrance sluggishly. "Need to save Arthur, he's in danger."

Merlin paused. "The orange-haired lad that came for Callie?" At Vivi's nod, he focused his attention on the entrance. Slowly he returned his gaze to Vivi. "Who are you, that you can come in here? Callie sealed us off, only the King's descendants could pass."

"It doesn't matter! You have to help Squire, he's dying!"

Merlin gripped her arms sternly. "It absolutely matters. At this moment I can only sense one living heir to King Arthur's legacy, and I need to know if that is you."

For one moment, Viv felt like the ground had opened under her, sending her careening into a black hole that would never end. In the next moment she was on her feet, racing back toward the opening. She tripped over a branch, hitting the ground hard, but then she was back up.

"Squire!" She screamed. "SQUIRE!" _Don't you dare…_

She burst out of the tunnel, tripping over Mystery's tails and skinning her forearms on her landing. She flipped over, taking in the sight of Mystery's gigantic head resting on Arthur's lap. Arthur's eyes were shut, his head bowed.

"Squire?" Her voice trembled as she crawled toward him. "Squire, say something."

Arthur's head lifted, and his eyes opened. She nearly wept at the sight of those soft brown eyes. She wasn't too late. Merlin was wrong, there was still time! "Squire, you had me so scared. Don't worry, I found Merlin, we'll fix this whole-"

"Vivi."

The words died in her throat. That was not the way Arthur said her name. It was the way Lewis said her name, with the utmost tenderness and undercurrents of adoration. It was Arthur's voice, but it was not Arthur speaking to her.

"I'm sorry, Vivi." Lewis cradled his mechanical arm gingerly. "I'm so sorry."

Viv's chest constricted. "No… no, I found him, Lew, I found Merlin. He's going to fix it, he's going to make it better. He can't… I… I wasn't even here!" She couldn't see straight, everything was blurry and dripping. "He was there for me, he was there when that witch pushed me out and tore me up, and so were you, but I wasn't here for him." Her face was wet, and Arthur's hands were on her face, but she felt sick. "I wasn't here!" She clung to him, sobbing as he tucked her head under his chin, cradling her.

"It didn't hurt." Lewis whispered, winding his fingers in her hair. "He passed on. Inari Okami can't hurt him anymore, nothing can."

"Son of Uther-Arthur King dead dead gone."

Vivi opened her eyes, wiping them clear of tears. Callie hung from a tree branch, her tail curled tightly around the wood as her arms twined and untwined. She wasn't looking at Vivi, Lewis, or even Mystery. Instead, she addressed Merlin, who stood before her, silent.

"Dead-and-gone, dead-and-gone. Merlin fail. Callie fail. Stupid dog fail. All is dead-and-gone." She wept and laughed, mocking him. "All magics fail, all humans fail. Demons fail, and I know why demons is demons. What is ravagings, what is slaughter, Nimue asks?" She plopped to the ground like rotting fruit, rolling around and around. "Nimue never knows, Callie knows. Look, Excalibur fails too. What do you think, Merlin?" Her voice pitched. "What you think of pretty pretty Callie?"

Merlin took a knee, slowly, steadying himself with his hands on the ground. He reached one hand out to her, but she lashed out, slicing him across the palm. "SIRE King's heir says no hurt Lewis or stupid dog, NOT you," she warned darkly.

Blood dripped from Merlin's hand, but still he stretched it forward.

"You lose fingers!" Callie threatened, lifting her arms to strike.

Merlin lunged forward, wrapping his arms around Callie and holding her close. She stiffened, then railed, squirming as she cried, "Not like this, not like this no Merlin goes away now! Merlin goes away GO AWAY DON'T TOUCH ME oh gods don't touch me it hurts…"

Merlin embraced the distraught water spirit, rocking slowly. "I am sorry. I am so sorry."

Mystery finally rose, padding over and nudging Merlin with a paw. Merlin raised a tear-streaked face to the kitsune, who bent his forelegs and lowered his head reverently.

"Merlin, Arthur came here in the hopes we could find you and cleanse her." His ears drooped. "It was his final wish."

Merlin studied Mystery, his gaze travelling to the kitsune's seven tails and back to his forlorn expression. "Much has changed." He rose to his feet, still holding the weeping water spirit. "And so, perhaps there is still hope. Come." He ran back to the hill, pulling a fist back and slamming it into the stone. Ripples spread from the point of contact, and the mound vanished as the spell disintegrated. "You are all welcome here, I need your help, and time is short." He made for the lake, muttering, "They are very unhappy that my sentence has been circumvented."


	9. The Gang's All Here

**Note:** Can I just take a second to say that without the active participation of the people who join me in Chatzy, this fic would be a lot less interesting. You guys are fantastic, thank you so much.

….

It has to work. It has to. I tell myself this over and over as I bring up the rear, all my senses bent outward. If They so much as twitch, I will know. As for Arthur, I can only pray it worked, because I can't even tell myself. I can't smell him, see him, or feel him anywhere. For all I know, he truly has passed on. But no, I have to believe he had the will to stay, like we planned. The anchor had to work.

Even Lewis isn't sure, I can see it in the way he looks at me, confused and grieved. He knew Arthur's thoughts, could see his plan, but he's so sure he would be able to sense Arthur in a ghost state.

Not even Merlin is aware, I heard him refer to Vivi as the only living heir. He would not have said that if he could sense Arthur, even as a ghost.

It all hinges on him now.

Vivi can barely walk, Lewis almost has to carry her. I wish I could tell her that we aren't sure he's even gone, her grief is painful to hear, but They may be listening, and we have to protect Arthur for as long as we can.

Please be here still.

As we approach the lake, Callie wriggles free of Merlin's grip and scrambles away, her back facing the waters. "No. No go there. Not never ever."

Merlin reaches for her, but she snarls like an animal. "NEVER. Nothings there but death anymore. Was healings one time before, and one time after, but no more. DON'T TOUCH ME." But Merlin's hand is already on her head, on her face, and in spite of herself she leans into his hand, ripples passing up and down her body. "Merlin, Merlin," she whispers, "where have all the children gone, Merlin?"

Merlin strokes her face. "If I tell you, will you come with me to the lake?"

Her eyes widen. "Answer was supposed to be dead-and-gone. You tell me different?"

Merlin turns from her, stepping into the lake and wading in, waves spreading out from his entry. Callie darts to the edge and stops short, pacing back and forth at the edge in distress. "Where have all the childrens gone? Answer me!"

Merlin spreads his hands on the surface of the lake, and it stills. "I was here for a long time, Callie. I came here to find peace for my mind, to try and find a way to free you from the King who no longer deserved you. I had hoped…" He shakes his head. "It seems you have saved Mystery, and not the other way around as I saw."

I peer at him. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Where have the children gone?" Callie demands louder.

Merlin focuses on her, and I swallow my impatience. "I was here for years before you were returned to the lake. I saw many of them drowned here." She rakes at the ground. "And I saw what happened after." He lifts his hands up, drawing after them little figures. Water spirits, little confused water spirits, flopping around. Directionless. Bewildered. Then laughing. Giggling. Twirling. Dancing. Skipping across the surface and leaping for joy.

I can't breathe. Even I have never known what water spirits are. But everything falls into place. Callie isn't moving. I can see her piecing it together. Who was there before her? She probably can't remember. How did she come into being? She probably can't remember. As far as she knows, she always existed.

"But, where they go?" she asks.

Merlin turns his hands slightly, and the projections skip toward the far edge of the lake, disappearing under the surface. "They took the paths you sent the selkies and mermaids through to reach other rivers, oceans, and lakes. The tunnels under the earth that can't be seen from the surface. They could sense this place wasn't theirs, so they left. And when you returned and sealed us off, there were no more."

"And why were you here?" I demand. Callie has her answers, and I have waited long enough for mine. "You vanished when the King needed you most! Why were you here?"

Merlin raises his eyes to mine, and I am startled to see the fatigue in them. "Because your Master was exceedingly unhappy with my interference in your life."

My Master. They had turned Merlin into a tree. Why hadn't I… I have no time to berate myself for not seeing it. I have dropped my vigilance, and I lift my head to scent the wind.

They are coming. And They are not alone. "Merlin, They are coming. Not more than five minutes."

Merlin whirled back to Callie. "Not enough time, we must begin. Please!" He stretched out his arms to her.

"What will you do?" she asks, clinging to the edge of the lake.

"Try to free you."

"You said no could be done!" she accuses him, scuttling back.

"It couldn't! The King wouldn't release you, and by the time he was dead I was a tree! I believe it can be done, if…" He turns to Vivi for a moment. She is still clinging to Lewis, but she nods her head. "It can be done then."

Callie turns away. "After fight."

I block her way. "Not after the fight."

A grin curls her mouth. "Deeeeemon dog if you too weak and I no fights then you be dead and Vivi too. She destroyed lotta growing things, makes Okami mad. Who's gonna fight?"

"Not you."

"WHY?"

"What do you think is going to happen if you kill Inari Okami?" I stare her in the eyes. I have to make her understand.

"I gets even MORE stronger."

"And what if you become so powerful that you break free of the sword in this state?"

She is silent. It's small, it's weak, but there is still a part of her that doesn't want this. A part that would give anything to go back to the way things used to be. I know it's there. I have to draw that out. I have to make it the most important thing, and They are almost here!

"You'll be a monster, Callie. You'll be worse than I ever was, and nobody could stop you."

"Then who fights?" She insists.

My ears flatten as I feel the vibrations of many, many feet. Not feet though, the sounds are different. More muffled. I turn tail and see another level of my Master's cruelty.

A pack of kitsunes is stalking across the plain. Before the Cave Spirit rebuilt itself, I had never seen another of my kind. A hundred questions swirl in my mind, but there is no time. I see Them standing on the other side of the plain, stroking the lotus in Their hand. I hear Their high speech on the wind, and the kitsunes turn as one toward me. Every padded step falls in perfect synchronization with every other beast in the pack, and I know these kitsunes would never need glasses, for they were made with no will of their own.

"Who fights?" Callie shrieks, bristling for battle.

_"I do."_

Out of the ground rises an aged skeleton. It stands at least nine feet tall and wears rusted chainmail. The shoulders are studded with spikes, and its arms are lined with broken-off blades sticking pointed ends out.

"That was the voice!" Vivi points at him, shocked, but is interrupted by a second.

_"I do."_

Next to him rises a second skeleton wearing plate-armor. Two swords are slung across its back and throwing-daggers are hooked wherever there is space to be had on the armor and even the skeleton itself.

_"I do." _A smaller spirit rises on the other side of the first skeleton, and instantly I kneel. I would know her anywhere. It is my Lady Guinevere. She holds a staff, tipped at both ends with lengthy, curved blades. And if that is my Lady…

She turns to the skeletons next to her and sighs. _"But really, must you?"_

The skeleton laughs, a gusty, raucous laugh I never thought I'd hear again. _"Now would I still be myself without the theatrics, dear?"_

_ "Come now, he always did love a tall tale, don't deny him the chance to become one." _The second skeleton plucks two throwing daggers from his armor.

They didn't pass on. None of them? Before me stand King Arthur, Lancelot, and Lady Guinevere. And the King turns to Callie for a moment. She has arched her body like a cornered cat, spitting curses at him as she backs to the edge of the lake.

_ "I will fight,"_ he reaffirms. _"Free yourself."_

The first of the kitsunes is only a few yards and closing as he turns, sprinting to meet it, swinging bladed arms. Lady Guinevere and Lancelot are on his heels, then breaking off in either direction. Lancelot hurls the daggers, aiming for their eyes, and the Lady's staff arcs through the air, slicing with deadly accuracy. Blood flows, but there are no cries of pain, and the army never falters. More have gathered behind them, there must be two dozen of them now. They are all single-tails, but they are burning hot with the energy granted by their Master, and the drive of their command.

"Heir of Arthur, the one who bears Excalibur, bring it to me." Merlin fidgets in the water, anxious.

Vivi forces herself upright, leaving Lewis' protective embrace. She comes to the edge, but Merlin holds up a hand. "Do not enter. I need you to hand me the sword." Vivi extends it, hilt-first, and Merlin receives it, holding it flat across both his hands. "Do you release the sword Excalibur, relinquishing all bonds that tie her to you and your line?"

"I do." she affirms, holding her chin high.

Callie lunges toward Vivi, then recoils, struggling with herself. I yank Vivi back by her scarf.

"Callie, come to me." Merlin holds out the sword. "Please."

Callie looks behind her. The three ghosts are a whirlwind among the kitsunes. Blood flows freely from the pack and their jaws snap shut on air as the ghosts whirl clear of their attacks faster than a blink, but the beasts are not tiring. Their flesh heals, their eyes glow with mindless determination, and they are pressing closer to the lake.

Callie whips forward and slithers across the surface of the lake. Her hands wrap around the blade of the sword as she glares at Merlin. "Free me."

Merlin closes his eyes. His lips are moving, but I can hear nothing.

"Vivi!"

I snap to attention at Lewis' cry. Vivi is running toward the battle. No, not toward, _through_ it. The ghosts shift their attention to driving the kitsunes away from the living human hurtling through their midst, and Vivi is racing toward Inari Okami.

"I have no fire!" Lewis groans, cradling his prosthetic. "What is she doing?"

I wish I had an answer. This is, perhaps, the one time I might call her an idiot. She can't be thinking clearly! If I follow Vivi, I will put myself in Inari Okami's reach, which is exactly what she wants. But if Inari Okami takes Vivi hostage, I will have no choice.

"Murderer!" Vivi screeches, sucking energy from the surrounding greenery. "Come and get me too!" Her hands burn blue as she hurls fire at the god. The flame sizzles out against Their body, but she has Their attention, and the attention of all the kitsunes now. Is she distracting them?

"I am no murderer. I am an executioner." They raise an accusatory hand, pointing straight at Vivi. "That is quite different."

The pack heels, as one, and begins circling Vivi, closing the ring tighter with each pass. Vivi plants her hands on the ground, and a wave of flame rips outward, singeing the kitsunes, but none slow. Guinevere flickers into the circle, hovering back to back with Vivi as Lancelot and King Arthur attack from outside, but none of them fall.

Behind me, Callie is screaming. I turn tail again. The sword is completely black from hilt to tip, but Callie's body is dripping, steaming away. Merlin's face is pouring sweat as his lips move more frantically. Something is wrong. Callie is shrinking, coming apart.

"What are you doing?" I bark, darting up to the edge.

"I can't… anchor her… back to the lake." His voice is strained. "She won't… Callie you have to take the anchor…"

"NO!" she shrieks. "RATHER DIE!"

"You need… an anchor…" He pants, pleading with her.

"NO MORE DEATHS-ANCHOR!" She is melting away, but still screams defiance.

Behind me, I can hear Guinevere's bladed staff singing through the air, and the crackle of Vivi's flames. And what can I do? Whom do I protect?

Lewis' robotic arm uncurls, jerking up and pointing skyward. A flash of lightning splits the air, shooting up from his hand and plummeting to strike a kitsune in the center of its forehead. The creature drops, stunned. And then Arthur is there, hovering next to Vivi and Guinevere, a pale yellow and white form crackling with energy.

Oh Arthur, you didn't leave!

"Sorry I'm late. Looks like you need a hand. Look." He grins, flashing his arms. "I finally have two for you."

Vivi freezes, and Guinevere slashes frantically to fend off attacks by herself.

"Not now Vivi. You can hit me later, but fight now!" Arthur zips up into the sky, hurling down lightning bolts. Some hit, some miss, but his aerial attacks are disorienting the pack.

Arthur knows what he is doing. I turn back to the lake. Callie is barely a rivulet of water, clinging to the blackened blade. Merlin clutches the sword despondently.

I know who needs me most right now. I dive into the water, taking the blade between my jaws. It feels as though it is slicing through my mouth, burning away every cell it touches, but I hold steady. There is still one thing I can do.


	10. I Am An Anchor

**Note: **TRIGGER WARNING. Some body horror.

…..

_ CRACK._

Another kitsune dropped, stunned, but the first was already rising. Arthur was only getting in one out of every four hits and their recovery was fast, but at least the unity of the pack was broken. Guinevere and Vivi had broken through to Lancelot and the King. He couldn't see what was happening back at the lake, but he hoped Mystery knew what to do, because he was only disorientation and distraction, and he was about to have his hands full with-

Yep. They were staring at him. It was strange. He'd never felt such freedom in the face of death before. Resignation and peace, yes, but this was different. There he was, staring Inari Okami down, and all he could think of was how hard he could make Lewis laugh if he tweaked the god's nose. He shook his head, no, best not to be completely destroyed, but maybe he could put his special talent to use.

Turning to Lewis, he waved down to him. "Hey Lewis! You didn't think I was really gone, did you? What's with the waterworks?"

Lewis wiped his face, chuckling. "You had me going for awhile!"

"ARTHUR WHEN WE GET OUT OF THIS I'M GOING TO SHOVE IT UP YOUR THUNDERWEAR, DO YOU HEAR ME?" Vivi shrilled, sending one kitsune down, pawing at its ears.

Arthur laughed. "Looking forward to it, Viv!" The words barely left his mouth when he felt a presence behind him. He flinched, and everything went black for a moment. When his vision returned, he was staring at the scene from a different part of the sky. Below him, Inari Okami hovered just above the disorganized pack, slicing through thin air with Their arm.

Arthur raised his eyebrows. That was unexpected, but he always had been good at running from danger. It made sense.

"ARTHUR LOOK…. out?" Lewis faltered, blinking.

"GET YOURSELF KILLED IN THIS STATE AND I WILL DRAG YOUR TEAR-STAINED CORPSE THROUGH WONDERLAND AND BACK!"

"Um… no, please?" Lewis gulped.

Inari Okami turned on Arthur, and his particles slowed as an icy feeling gripped him. Their expression was no longer one of placid contempt, but a dark rage.

_Time to up the ante._

"You can't stand it, can you?" Arthur crossed his arms. "Look at me. Killed my best friend, and he's over there just glad I'm still around." He leaned forward. "Bother you?"

And then They were inches from his face, but he was already behind Them as they brought Their hands together in a killing blow. "Does it bother you more that he forgives me, or is it worse that I finally accepted it and I have no more regrets?"

This time he fled before They turned. He landed below this time, glancing up in time to see a thorny vine stab the spot he'd been a moment before. "It's gotta eat you up seeing this. You've tried to force my death THREE TIMES now for some twisted justice, but you're literally the ONLY one who wants it, and you WEREN'T EVEN THERE!"

This time he flickered once, twice, three times. He ended up just above a nearby tree, looking down at three writhing thornbushes that has grown from the spots he'd flicked to. The branches below him began to tremble, and he flicked again, landing in front of a kitsune. It opened its mouth, the back of its throat glowing red. Arthur gripped its lower jaw, sending shocks through its body until it collapsed, twitching.

"What about that, huh?" Arthur shouted. "A murderer being cared for by the guy he murdered, what about that? Did you know Lewis took care of me when I couldn't walk without a nervous breakdown?" He flicked across the pack, producing a bright flash that sent another three stumbling blindly. "Did you know Lewis comforted me-ME-when I hurt so much over what happened I could barely breathe? Did you know he-" He flicked back into the sky as the ground split, sending gnarled roots to catch him. "-and Vivi let me do all the talking I needed until we were a team again? Look at us now, LOOK AT US! Because you're WRONG!"

Now his vision flickered black almost ceaselessly. Every time he returned to being, he felt something coming at him. In between the flickers, he thought he heard Lewis shouting at him, but it was like hearing through a bad connection.

Pain dropped him from the sky like a stone. He hit the ground, sizzling and crackling as he fought to hold together. He lifted his head to see Inari Okami tearing the prosthetic off of Lewis. Lewis lunged for it, grabbing the metallic fingers with his good hand. "DON'T HURT HIM!"

They shoved him back, sending him flying. "You don't understand. You should. You did once. You are blind. But when I dispense with the murderer, you will see."

Arthur's eyes narrowed. "Don't forget Mystery." Inari Okami paused, and Arthur pounced on the hesitation. "Because if I'm out of the way, maybe Mystery will come back, right? If there's no trace of me left, maybe you'll have your precious servant back? Are you so _sure_ your justice is pure, and not biased? Think carefully."

They turned to him, and he skittered back. Their eyes had shifted, lining up one above the other on the right side of Their face as another set appeared on the left side. Their mouth split into two gaping orifices. Teeth sprouted from the lips of the left mouth, and out of the right mouth slithered a forked tongue.

"DO NOT PRESUME TO JUDGE A GOD, MORTAL!" They shrieked, but Arthur could hear a difference. The multiple voices no longer blended as smoothly. Two had become more pronounced, overpowering the other tones. "YOUR DAYS ARE DONE. YOUR DEEDS WERE WEIGHED-"

"Once you found out I had Mystery!" Arthur zipped upright. "What did it matter to you before then, huh? I bet you've been tracking us ever since the cave! That's the first time he manifested for ages, is that how you found him? And suddenly, out of all the murders in all the world, you just _have_ to deal with this one!"

Inari Okami stilled, the eyes fixing on him. Their grip tightened, and pain flashed through his existence. Sparks flew off his form, but he stayed upright. "You know I'm right. You know this isn't justice. This is a personal vendetta. You FAILED justice, because this isn't really justice."

A crack ran along the prosthetic, the elbow joint popping out of place. Arthur collapsed back to the ground, lightning shooting out of him, uncontrolled and without aim. NOW he got why Lewis was so careful with his locket. Not that he hadn't understood before but this… this was where the real pain lay after death.

"HEY!" Lewis shouted, running at Inari Okami from the side and waving his remaining arm wildly. "GIVE IT BACK! NOBODY WANTS YOU HERE, NOBODY WANTS YOU SCREWING WITH OUR LIVES, OR WHAT'S LEFT OF THEM!"

Inari Okami turned, lifting an arm toward Lewis. Vivi charged up behind her, planting her hands on Their shoulders and seething, "You messed with the wrong team!" Her hands glowed, and Inari Okami's back arched, Their mouths opened in a scream that matched Vivi's as she drained power directly from the god. Lewis darted forward, snatching the prosthetic and running.

The ground around Vivi exploded with life as she channeled the energy out. Grasses and ferns uncurled from the soil, rising to knee height in seconds. Vines of night blooming jasmine climbed her legs, curling around her torso and opening fragrant blossoms, and all around her, unkempt bushes rose and sprawled out, dropping fully ripened berries. Inari Okami reached back, locking Their hands on Vivi's arms and squeezing. There were two simultaneous cracks, and Vivi's wrists folded in under Their grip.

Arthur flashed forward, hardly realizing he'd done so, blasting as hard as he could. Their hands released Vivi, allowing her to fall unconscious into one a bush, and latched onto his neck. He no longer needed to breathe, but They had him.

By now, four more eyes crowded Their forehead, and a third mouth had opened up in the middle of Their face that was little more than a gaping black hole. A small, gnarled tree trunk split through the top of Their head, winding and twisting toward Arthur's face. Wooden tendrils brushed along the sides of his head, curving to dig their tips into the back of his neck.

He was fading. He could feel himself dispersing, slipping away. Everything was blurred and shifty.

And then he heard what he hadn't thought he would live long enough to hear.

The sound of a water spirit's joyous laughter.

….

The blade is like a fire in my jaws, and I am sure if I hold on I will have nothing but a cauterized lump for a snout, but I cannot let go. I sense her. She is still here, but only just. She is a trickle, a bare drop on the blade, and she is tired of clinging to it.

"No more deaths-anchor," she whispers, resigning herself to non-existence.

And I bring my jaws together, crushing Excalibur. Merlin has severed the binding, and Callie is no longer slave to it. The cursed blade shatters apart, and I open my mouth again, now ragged and bleeding at the lips. Blood fills my mouth, washing over her. She moans in misery.

I swing my head around to Merlin, honing in on his dumbfounded face, and carefully form two words.

"Bind us."

He surges out of the lake, and as I lower my snout he takes it between his hands and renews his efforts.

And there. Where a moment before her existence wavered on the brink, there is more of her. Water is filling my mouth and flowing between my teeth, and as it passes it heals the torn flesh. I spit the last of the shattered blade, and Callie bursts out. She twirls up, up, up to the sky and her color is near crystalline and gods, she is _laughing._

And the strangest thing is that I am also laughing. I do not understand it, we are in grave danger still, but suddenly I do not care. There is no fear, there is no anxiety. There is only a sudden, untamed joy.

She arcs through the air and glides toward the fighting. Her thoughts turn to me-I know her thoughts?-and beckon me to follow._ It is time,_ and the thought all but sings through her being, _for justice and mercy to be reunited._


	11. Lesson Eight

**Note: **Warning, still some body horror.

…..

_You are fools. You have always been fools in this, and now look what you have done. Look what you have driven us to._

_ Yet in all this, the murderer still smiles. He is about to vanish, but free, more free than we are. And he speaks the truth._

_ He DARES accuse us. This mortal with blood on his hands. This worthless spineless wretch! We do not need his anchor now that we have his soul in hand, we will disperse his spirit._

_ He STOLE from us._

_ He stole nothing. He provided guidance and care for the one we failed._

_ We FAILED NOTHING. Kitsunes are tools, we can make a thousand!_

_ Wrong. We can make a thousand, but there is only one of the one he calls Mystery. We put a piece of us in that one. And so he thinks, he wills for himself, he judges right and wrong. He does not need our direction, as these animals do._

_ And he will return to us. The glasses have been corrupted by the fool wizard's meddling, but without the influence of the human he cares for, Mystery will return. He is once again fit for our purpose, and we will not lose him to darkness again._

_ And this is why you failed and do not deserve to retrieve him. We see now. How have we allowed it to come to this? You would rip from him the thing he cherishes most, when we ourselves placed in him the ability to choose something to care for, to watch over!_

_ HE WILL SERVE JUSTICE. That is all he needs care for. There is evil in the world, we must cut it back by any means necessary!_

_ This may be your duty, but not ours!_

_ HOLD WHERE YOU ARE!_

_ Release us!_

_ WE WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO LEAVE!_

_ WE ARE NOT KITSUNE TO BE COMMANDED!_

_ There is laughter. Who is laughing, and why does the human spark in our hand weep with joy?_

_ It is the daughter of the lake that laughs, and with her, the spark of our soul. Can you feel what they have done?_

_ No._

_ They are so like us. But they have chosen well._

_ NO._

_ Can you sense their unity? Can you see them? They are coming for us._

_ SHE HAS STOLEN HIM AS WELL. NO ONE MAY HAVE OUR CREATION!_

_ Daughter of the lake, hurry._

…..

It is different. When she cleansed me, I felt light, and every sense had sharpened. This is something else entirely. Every corner of my being is singing, and I cannot keep my paws still. She is gliding toward Inari Okami, and I am like wind over the meadow. Callie veers to the right, and I to the left.

They have Arthur. For a moment, I am alarmed. But it is overwhelmed. There is no room for fear. They will not have him for long. Callie will rescue Arthur as I distract Inari Okami. I marvel as the plan unfolds seamlessly between us without speech. I zip toward Them, yipping to draw Their attention.

Their whole head splits apart, one half of the face turning toward me, the other turning toward Callie.

The plan shifts. Distraction is not possible now. Inari Okami has never shown Themself to me this way. Their appearance is horrible, like some kind of eldritch creature. Eyes appear and disappear all over their split half-face and roots are springing out of their ears, their mouths. Thorns push through their skin.

And I realize what I am seeing, and what I have always seen. I have always spoken of Inari Okami as They, but now I know. They truly are They, but even more than Callie and I have become. I wonder how many, but the plan is simple now. Inari Okami must come apart.

The kitsunes wander aimlessly, Inari Okami can no longer focus Their commands. If the kitsunes are no threat, we need help. "Sire! M'lady!" I bark for the attention of my deceased masters.

Inari Okami screeches and burrows roots deep in Arthur's spirit. His light is flickering, fading. He should be gone, but clever Vivi has weakened Them enough to slow Their justice.

But the King is there, Sire wraps his arms around Arthur's ghost and pours strength into him. And Callie is plunging from the sky like a hawk, and I am lunging from the left, driving my forehead hard into Their side as Callie strikes directly down the middle of the split head.

They release Arthur, and the King flees with his spirit, Lady Guinevere right behind him. Lancelot circles warily, warding off the aimless kitsunes.

Callie rises again, and I dart away from Them as They turn toward me. The ground around me ruptures with growth, dragging at my paws and legs. I am slowed, but not stopped. They must be weaker than I thought. I curve around for another attack as Callie drops, this time aiming for Their back.

They haven't moved from their place, but They appear to be struggling to run. Their feet are rooted to the ground.

"STOP!" They scream, but They do not speak to me. "THIS WILL CHANGE NOTHING, LET US RUN! WE WILL RETURN AND WHEN WE ARE STRONGER, WE WILL PREVAIL!"

But their feet are rooted deep with twisted, knobby roots that dig deep and continue growing. There are now five mouths on their splintered face. Two are shouting, but the others are each saying something different. I strike the center of Their chest as Callie strikes the center of Their back, and five distinct voices cry out in pain as they drop to Their knees.

So. It is true. How could I, made by Their hand, never have seen it?

And as Callie and I part in opposing directions again, Merlin approaches from behind. He grasps Their shoulders and speaks in words that should tear a mortal's tongue apart.

"Come apart," he commands in the high speech.

Thorns begin dropping off Their body, but still They hold together. Two of the mouths open to retaliate, but Callie is there, and she wraps her arms around Their face, filling every mouth with water. They raise their hands, the red lotus glowing, but I dart forward, closing my jaws around the flower and crushing it.

"Come apart!" His demand grows in compulsion. I can feel it, and my own body weakens. I release Them, sinking back on my haunches. I do not understand, why is his speech affecting me? Is he trying to destroy me as well?

I feel Callie's thoughts turn to me. She abandons Inari Okami, Merlin will have to finish this himself. She curls around my neck, wrapping herself around my head.

She is giving me strength, as the King gave Arthur. I can stand again. Neither of us understands why Merlin's words affect me, but she will not allow me to suffer for it.

"COME APART!"

And Inari Okami cracks apart under Merlin's command. Their body splits into five parts, all tumbled in a heap. I rush forward, Callie still clinging to me, and crash through the pile, sending them flying. They must not reunite.

They are moaning all around me. They have been separated by force. I snort, shaking my head. I have no sympathy for Their pain, not after what They have…

_ Callie, you cannot be serious._

My mind is in shock as compassion flickers in my chest. Callie unwinds from me and glides over to one shivering lump. Water pools up from under the earth all around the form. She runs her hands carefully along the form, little waves from the puddle washing along it. The moaning from that one subsides, and it looks less like a lump and more like a small human form. It growls, raising its hands threateningly. The puddle coalesces around the form up to its neck, immobilizing its body entirely as she turns, gliding to the next moaning lump.

I am frozen, my paws planted firmly in place as I watch her administer healing to the second, then the third, and the fourth. A part of me wants to join her, but I cannot move. I cannot unsee the thing Inari Okami has done, and the things They made me do.

Callie does not approach the fifth form. She turns, instead, to me, and hovers at the tip of my nose.

"You will never be free of Them this way." I hear her words through my bones, my sinews, in every muscle and ligament. It is as though the words are coming from me even as they are being spoken to me. "They will always have a hold on you if you cannot release them."

I turn my head aside, flicking a glance at her sidelong as I cannot fully meet her eyes. "And you? Have you released the King?"

"I have," she replies softly, "and he will know that soon enough."

I do not need to ask if she has released me. She did that the second she chose to cleanse me. And if she could do that, I can do this. I lift my legs, approaching the fifth form, full of apprehension.

"I cannot heal," I warn her. "I was lucky with Arthur, but I have no gift in this."

Her laughter is warm and immediately my spirits lift. "You are wrong, Mystery." My ears lift, and warmth fills me. She spoke my name again. "That was not luck. It was raw and untrained, but what are your creator's attributes? What do They look after?"

"Justice," I recite, "fertility, foxes, agriculture-"

"Agriculture. Growing things?"

The fur on the back of my neck bristles in shock as I reach the connection.

"What is growing but an aspect of healing?" Callie beams, pulling my face down toward the shivering, groaning form. "And healing, but an aspect of growing correctly?"

I shift, still hesitant.

"I will teach you," she persists, and I touch my nose to a piece of my creator.

Inari Okami never touched me after forming me, and I understood I was to keep a distance. And as I touch Them-her, this one is her-there is a sharp flare of heat at the back of my throat, and I understand. This is why Merlin's words affected me, because Inari Okami placed a piece of Themself in me.

Callie nudges my mind back to focus, and I feel the tearing like fault lines all along the body of this one. This is the one, I sense as I prod deeper, that brings life and growth. This is the one that first brought the idea of me to mind, presenting it to the others. This is the one that was grieved most when I left. I find myself laying down next to her, licking her ragged wounds gingerly. And as I do, Callie shows me how to knit the edges back together, how to smooth them so they don't scar, how to wash the agony away and leave no trace of injury.

And when I pull back, this one is whole. She looks up at me, and I am cut to a raw place by the gentleness on her face. She is no bigger than a small child, but she is a fully formed female with a tiny cherry tree on her head. She reaches up a hand and places it on my nose.

"We're so… I'm… so proud of you."

I can hardly see or breathe as Callie immobilizes her. This one does not struggle or fight, only bows her head in acceptance.

I look to the others. I see another one whose head is bowed. One stares at me in fascination. Two are struggling, cursing Callie loudly.

"What will you do with them?" Merlin approaches cautiously from the side.

"Me?" I tuck my ears back. "Judge _Them?_"

"Who else?" Merlin folds his arms.

I begin to pace. What do I know of judging Them? They were always the ones meting out judgment, and I do not want to be like Them. What They deserve is destruction, but I will not become Them. Their justice was cold, cruel and ever without mercy.

Mercy. That is it.

"Reunite justice and mercy," Callie repeats, sing-songing.

And I know what to do. I sit back on my haunches, facing Them.

"What are your names?" I ask first, needing to know who They are apart from each other.

The two that struggle only turn their cursing to me. The curious one answers, "We don't remember. We have been too long together as one, and some of us were silenced for eons."

"But you remember what you did? Every judgment?"

Now even the curious one bows his head. "Yes."

I turn to Merlin. "If I hand them over to you, will you take them, each one, to places I will tell you about? I would have you bind them to victims of Their justice. Some have been spirits, who will still be roaming the earth. Everything they cared for was torn from them. Perhaps, with someone new to care for, they can find healing. And maybe, with someone to care for Them, Inari Okami will learn."

"Learn what you did?" Merlin's smile wrinkles his face. "I would be honored." He glanced back, and his smile widened. "It seems you continue to learn."

"Congratulations!" Callie twirls above my head, and I glance back.

Eight tails lie spread out on the ground behind me.


	12. Acknowledgements

Everything was fuzzy around the edges. Arthur had the vague sense he was being carted off somewhere by a rather large someone, but then maybe it was a smaller someone. Or maybe he was just staring in a mirror. His reflection was upset, he noted. Funny, he didn't feel like he was frowning or yelling. Weren't mirrors supposed to _reflect_ you_?_

Now his reflection was holding him. A decidedly surreal experience. Sounds came and went, and occasionally his vision blacked out and changed direction, but none of this alarmed him. He merely waited until images pulled together again, still fuzzy and uncoordinated, but there.

_Something is wrong._ The thought passed through his mind briefly before vanishing. His reflection was still shouting something. Then there was a skull shouting in his face, and bony hands gripping his head, and suddenly words sounded clearer.

_ "Can you hear me, boy?" _The skeleton spoke slowly and loudly._ "Blink once for yes!"_

Arthur blinked once, and found himself behind the skeleton. It stared blankly at its empty hands for a minute, before whirling around and grinning. _"Hah! Knew you'd pull through. Takes more than that to knock out one of mine!"_

Arthur tilted his head, slowly pulling pieces together. "You're-"

A foot kicked straight through his body, jolting him out of his realization. He spun around, coming face to face with-himself.

"What the hell was that back there?" Lewis shouted. "You were supposed to lay low! That was NOT laying low! Look at this!" His one good arm clutched the prosthetic protectively. The metal was crushed and cracked, the joints springing wires in every direction. "Idiot! I don't have any fire to fight with, I couldn't have gotten this thing back without Vivi! She'd better be okay! YOU'D better be okay!"

Arthur reached for Lewis. "Hey, I'm okay, nothing bad is gonna-" his vision blacked out, and when he could see again, he was just to Lewis' left. "-happen."

Lewis glared at him. "You're damaged. You should have let us handle it!"

"Someone needed to throw the Okami for a loop!" Arthur crossed his arms sullenly. "I've been told ghost-whispering is my special talent. Reason with them, or infuriate them until they can't think straight. Or were you just saying that?"

"Of course I wasn't just saying it, but you were way outta your league!"

"I always am!" Arthur threw up his hands. "And they're always trying to kill me! I'm done hiding, Lewis! Just done! I'm not gonna stand by and let Inari wipe out my family, and if that means I blow my cover, well, I don't regret doing it!"

"Unnngh you!" Lewis clenched his fist, swinging it. It passed harmlessly through Arthur, but Lewis' momentum tumbled him to the ground, panting. "I thought you were gone!" Lewis shouted. "I couldn't feel you at all! Then you go put yourself in danger again when I can't even DO anything to keep you safe!"

Arthur crouched, raising an eyebrow. "Welcome to my world," he said shortly. "I can't keep anybody safe most of the time. For once I got to do something different for the team, okay? I trust you all with my life, can you give me the decency of letting me pull my weight?"

_"And pull your weight you did!" _The skeleton crouched right next to Arthur. _"You were hardly dead and you managed full manifestation and some combat skills, how did you accomplish this?"_

Arthur snorted. "With the amount of time I share headspace with this guy?" He gestured at Lewis. "You really think I wouldn't pick up a thing or two about being a gh-OOST!" He fell back, swinging his finger accusingly at the skeleton. "YOU! ARTHUR!" His vision blacked out, and he re-appeared just above them. "AUGH!" The edges of his vision blurred again, and he focused on holding his form.

"Damaged, I told you!" Lewis seethed. "You can't control it anymore." He cradled the arm carefully. "Calm down or you'll spend what little you've got left, you're bleeding everywhere and he's given you all he's got already!"

_ "Calm yourself." _The woman he'd seen near the King earlier rose to his level, placing a hand on the side of his head. As she did, his vision sharpened, and he found it easier to pull his thoughts and form together. He could see her more clearly, from her pale gray eyes to her prominent cheekbones and shoulder-length black hair. _"There. Try and hold onto it, don't spend it flashing around if you can help it."_

Lady Guinevere. Lady Guinevere had just given him an energy transfusion. And so had-

Arthur drifted back down, eyeing the skeleton warily. "So. You're King Arthur."

The King nodded absently, staring off through the trees-Arthur shook himself. How out of it WAS he? "Lew, when did we switch to a forest?!"

"When we were running for your life," Lewis muttered, "or what's left of it."

"Where's Vivi?" He scanned their group, crackling when he didn't see her. "Mystery? Callie?"

"Back there." Lewis' eyes were clenched shut.

"Then what are we doing here?" Arthur cried, darting off through the trees. He came up short as a skeletal hand gripped his arm.

_"First," _King Arthur said, effortlessly reeling him back, _"we are keeping you in one piece. Second, that is the wrong direction. Third, they have your foe well in hand."_ He paused. _"I think."_

"You think?!" Arthur growled. "You left your other heir back there, I hope you know that!"

The King flinched, releasing Arthur's arm. He dropped his gaze. _"Well. Yes."_

"Don't tell me you FORGOT her!"

King Arthur turned away from Arthur, and as he did, he began to shrink. The skeleton faded away, leaving in its place a fairly short, wiry man with a forest green cloak and curly brown hair._ "It seems my talent for making mistakes follows me on into the afterlife."_ He set his jaw, striding toward a break in the tree-line. _"Guinevere, take them to the castle." _He glanced back at Arthur._ "I will ensure her safety."_

Guinevere laid a hand on his shoulder, halting him. _"You've waited long for this,"_ she murmured. _"If you are granted the chance to pass on, do not wait for me. I will follow shortly."_

He turned, sweeping her into his arms and crushing her close to his chest. _"You always know, don't you?" _Releasing her, he dipped forward in a dramatic bow. _"As you say, M'lady."_ He took her hand, pressing a kiss to her fingers. _" 'Til we meet again on the other side." _And with that, he vanished.

She held her hand where he'd left it for a moment, before turning back to Arthur. _"He has made many mistakes, but no one comes to the afterlife clean. Do not judge him so."_

Arthur glanced away, and Lewis sighed.

"I'm just tired of cleaning up his mistakes," Arthur mumbled. "They've cost me and my friends a lot."

_ "I understand." _She crossed over to him, laying a hand on his shoulder. _"And he will never be able to properly communicate his gratitude to you for what you have done, and are doing right now. So allow me to do it for him. Arthur, he remains for one reason and one reason only. The single regret that binds him to this plane of existence is breaking a pure spirit through misuse."_

Arthur's eyes widened.

_"All other regrets were dealt with between the three of us," _she said softly. "_We had a long, long time to come to understand what occurred and why. But he could do nothing for Excalibur, and this has bound him here. And now, perhaps…" _she trailed off.

"But why are you and Lancelot still here?" Arthur rubbed his chin.

Lewis rolled his eyes. "Are you THAT thick, Arthur?" He pointed to himself. "Why didn't I pass on?"

"Because you wanted to kill me."

"AFTER that part."

"Because you… wanted… to keep us safe." Arthur studied Guinevere. "You didn't want to leave us alone."

Guinevere dipped her head once. _"Indeed. But come." _She nudged Lewis' leg with her staff and gave Arthur and firm push._ "The castle is a safe distance from the conflict, and your friends will find you there once it is over."_

"You're that confident they'll win?" Lewis asked.

_"I know my husband, and I know what I saw before I left."_ A small smile toyed at the edges of her mouth._ "Your foe doesn't stand a chance."_

….

Callie attends to the unconscious Vivi, gingerly picking free the fragrant vines and inspecting her wrists as I turn to Merlin. He has, with no small effort, coaxed or coerced some of the spirits into slightly more portable forms. He carries three now as an acorn, a rose thorn, and a river stone-each in a separate pocket of his cloak. He struggles with one that still rails at him and fights the spells. Merlin is strong, but he has been out of practice for a long time, and he has already spent much of his energy already.

In the background, Lancelot curses. The kitsunes are clearly no threat anymore, and a few of them have taken to pinning the knight and pawing at the shiny weaponry. I have no doubt he would fight them off if he felt attacked, but they are clearly playing, and it is more difficult to break free from a pack of giant foxes if you no longer wish to harm them.

I return to the one responsible for the growing things of the Earth. There is a soft sadness in her eyes as she watches my approach.

"Answer me something before you go to your bonding. If there wasn't a unity among you in the decisions that were made, why?"

She can't meet my eyes. "The two of them were the strongest," she stammered, "When we dissented, they suppressed us."

"Two against three sounds like the odds were in your favor." I press her, unwilling to let it pass. "Even if they did suppress you, at some point you had to relinquish decision-making willingly."

Her head droops. "They were not wrong. There was great evil all the time, all around us, and none to keep it in check. Someone had to, so they said. They were… very persuasive. The five of us came together, but I did not want to deal punishment. Two were willing to, and we allowed them. But they became stronger with every act. At first, in the earliest days, there was mercy, and mitigation for strange circumstances. But it became stricter and stricter, and when we tried to speak, we were silenced."

"If they are so strict, how does Merlin still live?"

"Even they have codes they feel they must uphold. No matter the circumstances, Arthur did kill, and this renders his life forfeit in their eyes. Merlin never killed, he only interfered." She finally lifts her face. "We were coming for you. We allowed your corruption to a point because you were containing the evils of the world in yourself. But you had begun to actively corrupt souls to consume. We knew where you were. Perhaps you thought we had forgotten you?" At his nod, she murmured tenderly, "Never. And then suddenly, we could not sense you. But we sensed traces of the magic that had hidden you, and tracked it to this human." Her gaze shifted to Merlin, bent nearly double over the fourth, most stubborn spirit. "We could sense he was a most unusually powerful human. We took him by surprise at the water's edge, else he might have escaped."

"And then found me when I manifested at the cave." I eye her, unsure what to make of her gentleness when I think of what They have done together. "Why did you wait?"

Again, her head drooped. "Punishment," she whispered, "They… we… saw it as justice that you suffer for something you care about before we claimed you."

_As They suffered._ I exhale slowly. They did care for me. Or some did, even if it became twisted over time.

"Your name is Mystery now, it suits you. Mystery, will you allow me to give you one last thing before I must go?"

My tails straighten and my eyes narrow. She seems kind, but I cannot know to trust her.

"Think, Mystery. You are stronger than I right now. You are more than just you, and I am by myself."

It is true. Throughout the conversation, I have felt Callie restoring Vivi's crushed bones, coaxing her back to consciousness, and embracing her gratefully. I am not alone. I touch my nose to the water that holds her still, pushing it back and down until her hands are free. Before I can pull back, she reaches up and takes hold of my glasses, sliding them off of my snout.

I feel no change as I watch her inspect the lenses. "Completely stripped of their magic," she noted. "Although I suspect they were damaged when you were bound. I noticed you missed many spirits that passed you." The glasses crumble to dust in her hands. "You don't need these anymore."

Merlin has finally forced the spirit into a pinecone, and is stumbling wearily in our direction. She holds up her hands. "No need. Farewell Mystery. I hope one day you can bring yourself to find and visit me. You remain our greatest work." And with that, she vanishes, the watery bonds seeping into the ground. On the ground lies a blooming sprig. Merlin gathers it up and tucks it gently into a pocket.

_"Ah, I see all has transpired to completion without me."_

I turn tail, my heart rising in my chest. Now that the danger is past, I can hardly contain myself. He appears now as he did in life. My master. The King. I rush to him, covering the distance in three bounds, tackling him to the ground and cuffing the side of his head playfully. He bats away my paw, laughing.

_"So, this is who you were the whole time, eh?" _He grinned cheekily. _"Secret was out the second I died you know. Came back to the palace to see you making off with my youngest son." _He pats my snout firmly. _"You were a terrible bastard to my land, you know that?"_ He shakes his head, still smiling. _"But quite made up for it, from what I gather."_

I lower my ears, and he punches my snout away. _"None of that now."_ He stands, brushing himself off._ "All apologies already accounted for. Besides, you've done a marvelous job taking care of the lad." _He peers around me, and swallows a little at the sight of Vivi. _"And the lass." _His shoulders slump._ "But you have my thanks, and none of my anger."_ His grin picks up a bit as he struts past me. _"Just keep the eldritch talk to a minimum, what?"_

I can't help a smile of my own. Seeing him is temporary, I know this, but it is a balm to know he bears me no ill will.

_"Ay, Lancelot, can't handle the kits?"_ He calls over his shoulder. _"Try tossing them treats, perhaps they'll sit up and beg."_

_ "Go possess a rock!"_ Lancelot shouts, wriggling uselessly.

King Arthur laughs, approaching Vivi and Callie. As he comes closer, I see his strut slow to a walk, then to a hesitant step, and then finally a complete stop. He removes his cape, allowing it to dissipate into thin air, before dropping slowly to one knee, bending forward, his head bowed. Vivi hasn't risen from the bush she had fallen into, but she cradles Callie protectively, scrutinizing the King with great mistrust.

_"I have done great wrong to you both."_ His voice is low and threadbare._ "And there isn't a day that has gone by in these hundreds of years that I have not listed through my crimes to myself. To you, Vivi, I have nothing to give, save my grief at the suffering of your line. I could not stop Morgause, once embodied, and she would fall into a rage on sight of me. I could not reason with her, or apologize. So I offer those words, instead, to you."_

Callie winds her arms around Vivi's neck, beaming up at her. Vivi glances aside, unsure.

_"You are every bit the heir that Arthur is," _the King says softly. _"And never let anyone say different."_

Her mouth curls slightly. "Yeah. Well. Anyone who says so will get a face full of blistering blue barnacles anyway. I'm fine, but you two gotta talk." She pulled Callie's arms away from her neck and nudges her toward the King. "I think it's been a long time coming."


	13. Sealing It Off

Vivi woke to wet hands stroking her face and pushing back her hair. There were twigs and branches poking her from all around, and Callie hovered just above her, patting her face and neck. She tensed, pushing deeper into the bush.

"Vivi?" Callie pulled her hands back. "I'm not going to hurt you. Look at me."

She was clear. Vivi had seen her body inky, and before that a sort of lightly murky blue-green, but now she shone a deep, pure blue.

Vivi caught her breath. Callie was smiling. Vivi launched forward, tackling the water spirit. "Callie, you're okay! Oh this is amazing, how'd you do it? Squire's gonna be so happy! Well, once I get through with him and he can walk again he will be, but what happened?"

"Let me tell you and Arthur and Lewis all together. Can you move your hands?" Callie rolled Vivi over, plucking at her sleeves worriedly.

Vivi lifted her hands, flexing her wrists carefully. "Yeah… good as new. Your work?" At Callie's nod, Vivi hugged her again. "Thanks Callie."

At a loud bark, Vivi turned to see Mystery bounding toward an approaching form. Her grip on Callie tightened. It didn't look like Squire, but Mystery greeted him with such familiarity.

"Sire King," Callie whispered, subdued.

Vivi swallowed. The ghost was laughing, saying something to Mystery. The last remnant of her ancestry stood right there, and she wasn't sure she wanted anything to do with him. He probably wanted Squire anyway, the legitimate heir.

He strode across the grass toward them, dropping to a knee a few feet away.

_"I have done great wrong to you both."_ She could barely hear him, and he kept his face down._ "And there isn't a day that has gone by in these hundreds of years that I have not listed through my crimes to myself. To you, Vivi, I have nothing to give, save my grief at the suffering of your line. I could not stop Morgause, once embodied, and she would fall into a rage on sight of me. I could not reason with her, or apologize. So I offer those words, instead, to you."_

Vivi glanced aside. She wasn't sure what to think of this. He hadn't done her any personal wrong, but still his words spoke to a raw place.

_"You are every bit the heir that Arthur is," _the King said softly. _"And never let anyone say different."_

Oh. She took in a deep breath, feeling an old sting dissolve. "Yeah. Well. Anyone who says so will get a face full of blistering blue barnacles anyway. I'm fine, but you two gotta talk." She nudged Callie toward the King. "I think it's been a long time coming."

She was startled to see the King's outline tremble as Callie released Vivi and drifted toward him. Callie paused within arm's reach of King Arthur, peering up at him. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. His mouth closed, his jaw clenching hard, and opened again. Still he could not speak.

Callie turned to Mystery, wringing her hands, but Mystery shook his head. She returned her gaze to the King, as he finally managed to speak. _"Forgive. Me." _The words sounded like stones being dragged through his throat. _"Forgive. Me." _Over and over in a ragged moan. This was King Arthur? This was the proud King, the tall tale teller? Vivi's throat tightened, imagining her Arthur's year of suffering stretched out over centuries.

Callie pushed the King back on his heels and coiled in his lap. She reached up, trying to wipe his tears away. Vivi held her tongue. It wasn't the time to correct the water spirit on the nature of ghost tears, and that they couldn't just be 'wiped away'.

"Sire King, do you remember how much I wanted to heal the land?" At his dejected nod, she continued. "I think, Sire King, I would not have done a very good job. I did not understand this not-joy so well as I thought I did." She dropped her hands to his chest. "It isn't something you can heal like a cut or a broken bone. It isn't something you see on the outside to fix. I may have been able to help some, but not in the places where the not-joy was hiding." She reached toward his tears again, but stopped, pulling her hands back. "There was only one way I could learn that. And I learned it." She poked his nose gingerly. "Because of that I'm going be the best healer there's ever been. Because I really really know now. Don't be sad, Sire King."

She pulled his face down and kissed his forehead. "Rest, Sire King. I let you go. Go be happy with My Beautiful Bride and My Brother."

The King released a long, slow breath, his shoulders slumping and his head rolling back. Vivi could see the grass and the recent undergrowth through his fading form.

"Tell my beautiful bride that I'm waiting for her," he whispered, before disappearing completely. Callie thumped to the grass, unmoving.

Vivi caught sight of Merlin approaching, hesitant and cautious. "Nimue?" There were so many questions in his voice. Vivi sat back with a grin, she could hardly wait to see Callie's response.

With a splash, Callie whipped along the grass, clambering up Merlin. He fell to the ground with a shocked cry, which slowly shifted to fits of giggling as she rolled him over and over, tickling his ribs and stomach. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, and she embraced him as well.

"I missed you, Nimue." He clung to her.

Callie pulled back, cupping his face gently. "Still not Nimue. Nimue is gone. But it's okay Merlin. I'm happy being Callie. Callie learned so much more than Nimue could." She searched his face. "Merlin, you look tired."

He shook his head. "I'm fine, just need some rest."

She poked his wrinkles. "The other kind of tired."

He smiled, patting the side of her head. "I'll be fine, Nim-Callie."

"What will you do, Merlin?" She pressed her head into his hand. "The world is very strange now, very different. Will you stay with me and my new family?"

Vivi suppressed a groan. Squire would pitch a fit if they grew the group again.

Merlin shook his head, chuckling. "Callie, you know me. I couldn't stay put at the lake, I had to find out more. That hasn't changed, and I've been stuck for a very long time. Besides, I have to deliver these," he patted his pockets, "to their new homes. But I'll find you. I'll visit. You couldn't keep me away if you tried."

Callie took his hand in hers, sealing up the gash she placed there. "Be safe, Merlin."

"Not quite, still one thing that needs doing." He set her aside, rising slowly and trudging back toward the lake. Curious, Vivi followed, tailed by Mystery and Callie. Near the banks, he began gathering the shards of Excalibur. One by one, he threw them into the lake, as far as he could. Then he turned to the group behind him.

"Mystery, Callie, I am at the end of my strength. I will need many weeks of rest to return to my full abilities. Please, lend me your magic. I would see this evil buried and beyond reach."

Mystery lowered his head on Merlin's right, and Callie hovered just to his left. Laying a hand on each of their heads, Merlin began speaking in a language Vivi didn't recognize. As he did, the lake began to drain away, the water dissipating and leaving behind a dry bed. The edges of the lakebed began to draw together with a terrible rumble, like a great, gaping maw that was closing. Mystery's legs buckled, and Merlin sank to his knees, his voice fading slightly. Vivi smacked her forehead. Of course, Mystery had been spending every ounce of energy for over a day with hardly any rest, he couldn't give any more.

Marching forward, she shouldered in between Merlin and Mystery. "Move over, mutt. My turn." With Merlin's hand on her head, she reached into the life and energy of the greenery all around-every tree, grass blade, flower, vine, and bush-and channeled it to Merlin.

The opening closed in on itself with a final groan, and Merlin dropped to the ground, breathing heavily. Vivi glanced around. The lush meadow was now a barren waste, gray dust swirling through the few remaining trees-now leafless and shrunken. She sighed. With all the energy she'd stolen, it might be decades before anything could grow here again.

"That is all I can do." Merlin closed his eyes.

Mystery didn't even try to stand. "I don't think I'm going anywhere for awhile."

"But what about Squire?" Vivi protested.

"Arthur can handle himself for awhile." Mystery's eyelids drifted lower. "Proved very competent."

Callie curled up between Merlin and Mystery. "They need rest, I will watch over them. You also need rest, and Arthur and Lewis."

"Rest is the last thing Squire gets when I find him," Vivi fumed. "Fine you recover, but where do I find the boys?"

_ "If someone would help me with these blasted creatures I would be more than happy to guide you!"_

Vivi snickered as she turned to where the pack of kitsunes had formed a cozy pile, slumbering in contentment directly on top of Lancelot.

"Why can't you just phase out, anyway?" She asked, crossing over to him.

_"They're stupid, but they're still magic beasts! If only they _were_ normal foxes, this would have been much easier!"_

"Yeah, well, there's still a few things that are probably the same." She broke off a brittle tree branch in passing, put two fingers to her mouth, and gave an ear-splitting whistle. "HEY. Who wants to play fetch?"


	14. A Little Dark Humor

**Note:** My thanks to R5h for the help with the puns. Didn't think that was a sentence I'd say...

….

Vivi was pretty sure that every step she took sank a little further into the ground than usual, but she didn't care. Her fists swung in time with her steps, and every two minutes she re-rehearsed exactly how her tirade would go. Oh it was going to be brilliant, Arthur was NEVER going to pull something like that again by the time she was done.

Glancing up, she noticed Lancelot's skeletal appearance had faded to a more human look as he led her through a wooded area. He had a fine square jaw, and his jet black hair complemented his moss-green eyes. On a scale of classically handsome, he definitely outrated King Arthur.

"How'd you end up not at odds with the King anyway?" She tried to tone her voice down, no need to snap at her guide. "You seemed pretty chill with him, considering what happened."

_"We had a very, very long time to sort out our differences."_ Lancelot continued onward without looking back. _"After a few decades of combat we wore each other out, and Guinevere finally broke through to us."_

"So what are you gonna do now that he passed on?"

Lancelot didn't respond.

"How do you know where they went anyway?"

_ "We made his castle ruins our home. She would have taken them there."_

Vivi blinked. "The boys never mentioned running into you when they were there."

_"If you were there, we were not aware of it. We may have been out on patrol. The King still felt it his duty to protect the land as long as he could from evils unseen by the living."_

Vivi relapsed into her rehearsals, but found herself forgetting a few of her best shots. Frustrated, she grunted, "Are we almost there?"

In answer, Lancelot gestured ahead. She could just make out a teetering guard turret, and a flicker of light at the top. Picking up her pace, she jogged toward the tower, Lancelot hitching his weapons belt and hurrying alongside.

As they approached, Lancelot pointed out a crumbling doorway at the base, which Vivi promptly stormed through. She marched up the steps muttering under her breath, until she began to pick up voices echoing down the curved stairway.

"Are you _sure_ they're going to be okay?" Arthur's voice was tight with anxiety.

"Lady Guinevere says they will be," Lewis replied.

"Not helpful when she's mooning over the horizon just as much as you."

"You should talk, Sparky."

_"They will all be fine. I'm sure they will join us soon."_

Vivi paused as flickering light hit the curving wall in front of her, holding a hand up to stop Lancelot. "Just a minute," she whispered, tilting her head to hear better.

"She's gonna ream me, isn't she, Lew?"

"Me too probably, even though I wasn't sure if you were still around or not either."

"Yeah well that was the point," Arthur sighed. "If I'd said anything out loud, Okami might've figured it out sooner. I had to cue Mystery, I repeated a couple things he said to Vivi when he anchored her. He was smart, probably cloaked my presence too so you couldn't feel me, even though you knew the plan."

"Makes sense. She's still gonna ream you."

"Maybe not if I can get a few laughs outta her first. We can start with the fact that you're officially a dead ringer for me, follow up with a few shots about dying to know what she's thinking, and drag the hell out of 'deadpan humor.' What do you think?"

"I think you're still dead meat."

"Actually, if we're getting technical here, you're the dead meat Lew. I don't have a body right now, and you died."

"You're really going to dissect a death pun?"

Vivi covered her mouth with a hand, fighting to hold onto her anger.

"Lew, that's terrible. You're killing me here."

"No, Inari Okami killed you, I'm just tormenting you."

Vivi bit her lip. Squire was _not _getting off easy just because of a few jokes.

"Oh go jump off a bridge."

"Cliff, thanks, and I got a hand there."

"You did NOT just do that," Arthur groaned.

"Hey you're the one who's getting pushy. What, too soon?"

Vivi snorted loudly, and the room fell silent.

"Well, that killed the mood," Arthur remarked.

With that, Vivi lost it. She plunked down on the stone steps, threw back her head, and howled, holding her sides. She caught sight of Arthur peering cautiously around the corner, sparking nervously. "Um, Vivi? So, I know you're really mad, but-"

Vivi scrambled up, launching forward, arms open. She passed straight through him and tripped, falling face-first to the ground. An arm wrapped around her, pulling her upright. "He hasn't got contact manifestation with the living down yet," Lewis sighed. "He's a fast learner, but that takes time and practice no matter HOW good you are."

"Soooo how much of that did you hear?" Arthur drifted closer, rubbing his head sheepishly.

"A lot. You should have figured out some way to cue me in you know." Vivi crossed her arms, still unable to scowl. "I'm not stupid, you could have worked out a code."

"I'm sorry Vivi, but honestly, at a certain point I was busy scouring Lewis' knowledge for all I could use, plus I was trying to figure out what we'd be able to do once we got where we were going." He glanced at her sidelong. "Forgive me?"

"Forgive YOU? Squire… I'm just glad you didn't disappear because of me."

"Likewise." Lewis wrapped his arm around Vivi, but kept his eyes on Arthur. "And when Callie comes back, we'll get this fixed for good."

Arthur hesitated, looking at the ground. "Lew… are you sure? Really sure? Because if you wanted to I wouldn't mind if-"

"Out of the question," Lewis snapped. "I don't even want to hear you say that again."

"Easy Lew." Arthur held up his hands. "It was just a thought. I mean, you've been through a lot."

"And you haven't? Don't play that card. Everyone's going back how they're supposed to be as soon as…" He glanced around. "Hey Vivi, where's Callie and Mystery?"

_ "And Arthur?" _Guinevere stared anxiously at Lancelot. _"He is alright?"_

_"He passed on, M'lady."_ Lancelot dipped his head. _"He said he would be waiting for you."_

Guinevere's mouth curved gently upward.

_ "Go M'lady. The spirits and Merlin are resting in the meadow, regaining their strength. I will watch these until all are rejoined."_

She lifted a slender hand, placing it gently on Lancelot's cheek. _"Thank you. I shall." _Her form began to fade as she whispered,_ "Join us soon, Lancelot."_

Lancelot sighed heavily, leaning against the stone wall.

"Not much for goodbyes," Vivi noted.

_"Not to be rude, but none of us stayed for you. We stayed for Arthur-our King-who was here for the sword."_

Arthur shrugged. "Fair enough. Seems like there are a lotta rules about-" He fritzed, phasing to the other side of the room in a split second. "-being a ghost that I still have to learn."

_ "And you, lad, are still shedding all your energy."_ Lancelot crossed the room, grabbing Arthur by the shoulders. Arthur's outlines sparked less, and he shivered at the fresh energy pouring into him._ "Rest. Your friends will come when they have regained their strength."_

"That sounds pretty good." Lewis leaned back against a toppled statue. "All of your sleep dep over the last couple days is catching up with me, so thanks for that."

"Glad to help." Arthur grinned, settling nearby as Vivi curled up next to Lewis.

_ "I will keep watch." _Lancelot faced the dark stairwell taking a wide stand, one hand on his sword.

"You, Squire." Vivi lifted an arm. "Over here."

Arthur shifted. "Appreciate the thought Vivi, but I can't really."

"Shut up and get over here."

Arthur sidled up next to Vivi. She pulled away from Lewis for a moment, and circled her arms around Arthur's form, holding them in place. She squeezed her eyes shut as she managed, "I'm glad you're still here. And that you get to come back. Don't ever scare me like that again."

"Sorry Vivi, with the friends we've got I can't promise. But I'll do my best." Her hair crackled as he passed his hand over it. "Besides, with you all watching my back, what could go wrong?"


	15. Bombs Away

**Note:** Toward the end of this chapter, turn on Geronimo by Sheppard. Also, one more chapter after this, so it's not quite over… I've been waiting for this chapter so long it's not even funny…

…..

There is something wet on the back of my neck and my fur is matted from the scruff all the way down my back. Ash tickles my nose and I sneeze, groaning. Everything is sore as I stretch, yawning wide enough to crack my jaw.

The wet patch on my back shifts, and I remember. No, I sense her. I have never been so deeply aware of another creature's presence like this before, not even with Arthur. She is also confused, but less alarmed, and her calm in turn soothes my worry. This is strange, on this we silently agree, but it can be learned and adjusted to.

"Perhaps because I am your anchor as much as you are mine?" I wonder aloud.

"We have been bound to objects and people," she agrees, "but it was never a mutual binding."

"What you did was very foolish." I feel the need to inform her, now that she is herself again, of what I think of her actions. "Did you even think of the consequences when you took on my darkness?"

"I told you I did, I knew what would happen to me. Not all of it, but I gathered enough. But you were hurting." Small wet hands comb through my fur. "All the hurting and sadness from what you'd done, and you would never be free of it. I hoped you and the others would find a way to help me. I took the chance. I'm not sorry."

I lie there a few moments longer, before murmuring, "Thank you."

"Thank you," she repeats back to me.

I open one eye. It is dark, but the sky is light along the horizon and I don't know how long I have slept. Merlin sits cross-legged in front of my nose, listening. Of course.

Behind me, I hear soft whimpers and whines. I sigh, rubbing my snout with a foreleg. The last thing in the world I want to do is teach a couple dozen kitsunes how to fare for themselves when I already have my paws full trying to keep my small pack of humans safe.

The wet patch crawls up the back of my neck and perches on top of my head. "You are well, Merlin?"

"Still tired, I will need much more rest before I'm at full strength again, but I'm capable of looking after myself." He gives her a weary smile.

"So you will be leaving," she notes, a touch of sorrow in her tone.

He unfolds his legs, struggling to his feet and reaching up to caress her face. "Now that I'm not flowering every spring, I'll be able to come find you. You will see me on occasion."

The whines behind me increase. They must be hungry.

"Merlin, I don't want you to go alone." Callie's tone is firm, leaving no room for dissent. Merlin raises an eyebrow, glancing at me. I assume by his reaction this is a rare tone for Callie. "Take the pack with you. They need someone to teach them, and you need protection until you are strong again."

My ears perk up. "There are probably towns and villages all over this country still plagued by dark spirits, teach them to be village guards. Spread rumors that the black and white foxes are good luck." My tails wag as I pick up Callie's excitement at the idea.

"I suppose I can do that." He pulls Callie into his arms, and she wraps herself around him tightly. "It is so good to see you happy again."

"Be safe, Merlin," she whispers, before returning to the back of my neck.

"Take care of her, Mystery." He lays a hand on my nose, his eyes twinkling. "You've come quite a long ways from the monster you used to be. Don't look back now."

"I don't think I can," I snort, rising to my paws. "Shall I bear your farewells to Arthur?"

"And Vivi." Merlin nodded. "My best wishes to the remnants of the King's line. But it is time for me to leave, and for you to rejoin them."

"Goodbye Merlin." We speak as one as he walks past us to the pack, calling softly to them in the high speech.

"To Arthur?" she asks, anticipation building in her.

I see her plan unfolding in my mind, and my mouth opens in a wide, gaping grin. "To… to Arthur at once!"

….

A wide, wet tongue knocked Arthur halfway across the room, and he flitted to the ceiling of the tower without thinking. He stared down, collecting himself out of the memories he'd been cycling through, and realized he was looking down at Mystery.

And on his back-

"Callie!" He zoomed down, grabbing her and spinning her around. "You're okay! You're… you're better than okay! It _worked!_"

"It worked," she affirmed, gleefully spinning with him. "And I'm free of the sword. Mystery is my anchor now."

"And she is mine." Mystery nudged Lewis and Vivi to their feet, both rubbing their eyes as they tried to focus.

"What's that? Mystery!" Arthur stopped spinning, smirking down at the Kitsune. "I thought you said no spirit would ever be stupid enough to willingly bind themselves."

Mystery grimaced, rolling his eyes. "Yes. Well. Circumstances." He glanced around. "Where is Lancelot? We passed him on the way in."

Arthur peered around, but couldn't see the ghost. "He was waiting for you to come back, keeping us safe until then. I guess he moved on." Arthur smiled. "Looks like they're all at rest finally."

Callie pulled Arthur back down to the ground next to Lewis. Mystery nosed Vivi aside, carefully herding her a safe distance away.

"Wait Mystery, wait a second." Lewis crossed over to Vivi, wrapping his arm around her.

"Hey, you'll be fine, you'll get to hug me after this too."

"Yeah…" Lewis swallowed. "I just… yeah." He ran his fingers through her hair for a moment, before returning slowly to Arthur's side.

"You sure, Lew?" Arthur whispered.

"Shut up Arthur. Already told you." Lewis glanced worriedly at Callie. "You're really… okay now, right?"

Her smile faded. "I apologize for trying to harm you before. It will not happen again." She turned to Vivi. "I apologize to you as well."

Vivi smiled, waving a hand. "Nah, we're good, Callie. Get on with it."

"Yeah, well, if you're better, it's alright." Lewis brushed his shirt off nervously.

"One more question before I begin." Callie turned to Arthur and took his hands in hers. "Arthur, you did for me what your ancestor was unable to do. You kept your promise to me, and you did not cast me aside. I will put you back in your body, but will you let me complete the healing this time?"

Arthur tilted his head, puzzled. "Complete the healing?"

"She means your arm, genius," Lewis muttered.

Arthur stared over at his body's missing arm, eyes wide. "I…" He shifted.

"Why not?" Lewis glanced at him. "And if you say it has to do with me, I swear I'll put you in a three day headlock when you're back in your body."  
Arthur rubbed his left arm, eyes glued to the floor.

Mystery nudged him gingerly. "Why not, Arthur?"

"No reason, I suppose," he answered slowly. "Not anymore." He raised his eyes to Callie. "Okay."

"Lewis, lie down please." Callie gestured to the floor, and Lewis laid himself back down. She took Arthur's spirit and settled it carefully back inside his body. Her hands sank into the chest and began to move, working to weave Arthur back into his body and loose Lewis from it.

"Don't forget the damage to his soul," Mystery reminded her. She nodded, her arms moving back and forth as she hummed softly.

After what seemed like an eternity, she withdrew her arms, slowly, pulling out a familiar form. She lifted Lewis free of Arthur's body, then released him, turning her attention back to Arthur.

He groaned, wincing as he tried to sit up. "Gah… Lew… everything's sore, what gives?"

"Yeah well somebody had to try and get your anchor back from the angry god. They didn't like that very much." Lewis picked up the broken prosthetic. "He's totally free of this, right?" He asked Callie. At her nod, he tossed it to the side.

Arthur touched the stub of his arm carefully. He sighed. "Healing didn't take, I guess?"

"I haven't begun that healing yet. Arthur, will you trust me?" Callie hovered in front of his face, ripples travelling up and down her body, the ends of her arms curling and uncurling. "Will you please trust me to do something?"

Arthur blinked. "Sure, Callie, of course I trust youuuUUUUUU!"

Callie hardly waited for him to finish. She seized him by the shoulders and flipped him into the air. He twisted, coming down to land on her back.

"Meet you back home, Mystery!" she trumpeted, soaring out the window. Mystery's barking laughter followed them out as they soared skyward into the light of the rising sun.

"WHAT'S GOING ON MYSTERYYYY?" Arthur shouted, but the guard tower was already shrinking to a dot below. He clung to Callie with one arm, holding tight with his knees.

From this height, he could see a great deal of the country, from the barren, ashy plain to the woods. Castle ruins dotted the landscape, and he could make out the edges of a city in the distance, but that was not where they were headed. He could see Callie's direction, as she steered toward a large river that carved through the landscape ahead.

"Callie!" He squeaked, clinging tighter.

"Trust me, Arthur!" she sang. "Trust me!"

They soared over the river and she banked, following the flow. She hovered in place for a few seconds, then plunged down, breaking the surface and submerging.

Arthur held his breath, bracing for the shock, but it never came. He was underwater, but all around him was a thin layer of air, protecting him from the cold and allowing him to breathe.

Callie slipped out of his grasp, spinning and twirling through the river ahead of him. The current carried him right behind her, diverting him from boulders and underwater branches without jarring him. He passed fish lipping at the surface for a meal, startling them as they flipped their tails and fled. Below him coins reflected short flashes, and he could see bits and pieces of old, forgotten things lodged between the rocks and debris of the riverbed. Moss-covered traps and bits of fishing net, dozens upon dozens of lures and here and there a broken rod. Light played with the water, coloring everything murky and strange toward the bottom, and a clear, gentle blue toward the top.

He was pushed to the surface as Callie spun out of the water, her laugh ringing loud and joyous as she turned and plunged under again, bringing him with her. He could hardly process everything that was happening, but as he submerged again, the thought crossed his mind that Callie was _playing _with him.

She veered left, and the current guided him right, then circled him around her as she, in turn, spiraled with him around and around. Strike that, she was _dancing_ with him, dancing underwater, as she must have done at the beginning. Only she was allowing someone to be a part of it. Had she danced like this with Merlin?

The sound of a dull roar vied for his attention, and the current jerked slightly harder.

"Do you trust me, Arthur?" Callie sang again, her voice carrying perfectly through the river.

The water boiled just ahead, a great white wall obscuring his vision of anything that lay beyond, and they were headed directly for it.

But Callie had not hurt him yet. With a nervous grin, he shouted, "I trust you!"

He burst through the boiling white wall into empty air. He hung for a moment, just a few feet past the edge of a waterfall, before plummeting down. As he fell, he twisted around, catching sight of Callie exiting just above him. He grinned, reaching up to her with both arms-

He gasped as Callie grabbed both his hands, beaming at him with unrestrained ecstasy, and twirled him mid-air, landing him on her back again. He stared at his left arm. It was hairless, and several shades lighter than his right arm, but it was there. He could feel Callie's watery body under that hand. The fingers curled and flexed on command. It was real.

"Homeward bound, Arthur!" she called, soaring ahead. "I've a bet with Mystery that I can get you home before he can get Vivi and Lewis home, and I will not lose, not today!"


	16. New Clientele

_SLAM._

Arthur groaned, limping into the living room and collapsing onto the couch. Vivi peeked out from the kitchen.

"Welcome back, Squire. Lance still mad?"

"Yyyyyyep." Arthur tried to pretend he was a blanket. Blankets didn't have to move, they didn't ache, they weren't covered in grime, they just lay draped over things until called on for use. That sounded wonderful. He cracked an eye open, catching sight of Mystery curled up with Callie in the recliner. "Mysteryyyy, make me a blanket."

Mystery lifted his head and snorted, barking once, before laying his head back down. Callie murmured sleepy protests at the shift, before settling again.

"She still adjusting to needing sleep?" Arthur asked. Mystery wrinkled his nose. "Well what do you expect, she's never been attached to anything that needed rest before. But is she doing okay?"

In answer, Mystery turned his head slightly and nuzzled the side of Callie's face.

Arthur rolled his eyes and bit his tongue. Some days it was really hard to not tease his friend.

"So how many junkers did Lance make you work on today?" Vivi called, withdrawing to the kitchen again.

Arthur held up his fingers, groaning when he missed her. "Six."

"Six, huh? Sounds like he's cooling down. That makes over thirty junker fixes this week."

He sighed. Uncle Lance's welcome-home-tirade still rang in his ears.

_ "Kid, I couldn't be happier you got yerself fixed up, new arm, and girlie seems a mite happier. Fabulous. But I said get a GOOD cover story for yer sudden hospital discharge, what the hell was that? You think you can go check yerself out by just sayin' 'I wanna recover at home' and come back three days later with NO scarrin' from the thorns and a whole new arm? Kid! Yer mental! Whole town knows about it, nobody knows what t'make of you now!"_

"We got any ghost busts requested, Vivi?" Arthur asked, bracing himself for the response.

"Nope, sorry Squire. Nobody's emailing us, and even when I send out, they don't wanna touch us. Everyone's pretty sure our team is tainted."

Arthur closed his eyes. Some kind of supernatural interaction was the only way people could explain his miraculous recovery, and how could a ghost busting team be trusted if they were consorting with the supernatural themselves? Nobody would touch them now.

Yes, Uncle Lance was angry, but working Arthur harder gave him an excuse to raise his nephew's pay. It would keep things from getting too tight now that ghost hunting was becoming less and less of a viable income option.

"The manager said I could pull some weekend shifts at the bookstore." Vivi walked over to Arthur, a plate of spaghetti in her hands. "Here, eat up." She set it on his chest and dragged a stool over from the counter.

"Where's Lewis?" Arthur grabbed the plate and eased himself up slowly.

"Still in the kitchen, trying to follow a cookie recipe. Says he wants to try helping out with the meals." Vivi's fingers dug into her scarf. "I thought I'd start him out with something easy."

"Deep breaths, Vivi."

"I'm perfectly calm. He can handle cookies."

"Absolutely."

"Nothing can go wrong. It's the simplest pastry."

"Mhmm."

"He's got the recipe and all the steps laid out for him."

Arthur caught sight of smoke curling out from the kitchen. "Mhmmmm…"

Vivi took a deep breath. "You know, I really should relax. I've been out of the kitchen for two minutes. There's no reason to think Lewis can't handle this by himse-LEWIS IS THAT SMOKE I SMELL?"

"No!" came the panicked response. "Not real smoke, um… it's my hair! Just stay out there, I've got this!" Something shattered loudly, and the smoke detector began to wail. "EVERYTHING'S FINE!"

Vivi turned to head back, but Arthur grabbed her hand. "C'mon Vivi. Let him handle it. You can let go for once, yeah? Give him a chance."

At the sound of the kitchen window opening, she nodded reluctantly. "I guess."

"Magic lessons go okay today?"

"Yeah, they're finally teaching me useful things. It's almost like they figured out having as many people equipped to fight properly as possible is, I dunno, useful?" She stared pointedly at Mystery, who rolled his eyes. "But yeah, going a lot better."

"Hopefully we won't get in a situation where we'll need those skills again, but I won't make any bets on that anymore." He shoveled in a mouthful of spaghetti.

Lewis drifted out of the kitchen, straightening his suit and coughing. "Fire's out. Um. Second batch is in the oven… you don't want the first batch. Ten minutes, right?"

"Right." Vivi grabbed his hand, pulling him closer. "Just don't forget."

A soft knock sounded at the door. Vivi raised an eyebrow at Arthur. "We expecting Lance?"

Arthur shook his head, setting the spaghetti down. Lewis grabbed a blanket, draping it over Callie and Mystery while Vivi crossed to the door, opening it.

"Excuse me, is this the home of the Mystery Skulls?"

"Sure is." Vivi glanced over her shoulder, checking Lewis, who ducked back into the kitchen to fix his appearance. "Come on in, won't you?"

She stepped aside, allowing a heavily cloaked figure to enter. Mystery's snout poked out from the blanket, sniffing, and a low growl rose in his throat. The figure cringed, stumbling to its knees and raising its hands. "Please, I mean no harm!"

Callie slid out from under the blanket, approaching the figure curiously.

"Callie!" Arthur hissed. "We don't know who this is, why'd you-?"

Callie reached up, gingerly tugging the cloak back to reveal the face of a young woman. Her eyes flashed gold, and her hair gave off a soft, yellow glow.

"It's alright, Arthur." Callie touched the ghost's face in greeting. "She's one of us. Mystery, please. She hasn't even told us why she's here."

Mystery growled again.

"Just because recent experiences haven't been kind is no reason to treat a guest like an intruder," Callie reprimanded him. She turned back to the woman, smiling. "He's much kinder than he acts. Just very protective."

Mystery whuffed heavily, crossing his paws and laying his chin back down on them in a sulk.

"Well, hello." Arthur scratched the back of his head. "What can we do for you? And who are you?"

She turned her head, scanning the room carefully. "I don't know who I am. I would like to know, I think it would let me pass on. I have heard of your group and the great feats you have performed. I'm sure you have many asking for your help, but could you spare some time for me?"

Vivi blinked. "Ma'am, no offense, but are you kidding? Nobody's banging down our door, in fact nobody wants to hire us."

"You must be mistaken," the lady insisted. "Your names are on the lips of every spirit, dark or light, that I've come across in recent days! Several have made mention of approaching you for help as well. Though," she glanced back at Mystery and Callie, "all are aware of your powerful protectors. But I am desperate."

Lewis exited the kitchen, holding a tray of cookies. "No need to be desperate. As long as you're not attacking, we're friendly."

"Lewis, how did half the cookies on this ONE SHEET get to be charcoal and half ended up perfect?" Vivi picked up a decent-looking cookie, biting into it. Her eyes unfocused for a moment. "Oh that's a good cookie… BUT HOW?"

"I don't know! I just need more practice?" Lewis pleaded.

"Well duh you need more practice. What, did you think I was giving up on you? I just wanna know how the pickled rock-lilies this happened."

"I see," the lady murmured, still watching Mystery uneasily.

Arthur leveraged himself off the couch carefully, shuffling over. "Hey, really. He's not gonna hurt you. I'm Arthur. Guess I can't ask your name, but we can try to find out, yeah? Might take awhile though, Vivi and I have to pull extra on our jobs to cover expenses."

Her eyes flashed up to his. "I can pay! I don't remember very much, but I remember there's a lockbox. If you can help me, I'll tell you where the key is, and which bank it's at. You can have whatever's inside if you can help."

"So lemme get this straight," Vivi said, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "We can't get hired for ghost busts by the living, but we're getting hired for ghost busts… by ghosts?"

"Why not?" Arthur shrugged. "Not all ghosts _want_ to stick around, but not all of them know how to move on. Sounds good to me." He bent down, pulling the ghost to her feet. "We'll take the job. Do us a favor, though, and pass the word that we're friendly? We could do with some business."

"You're not at all like I pictured you," she admitted, subdued. "I heard of monstrous beasts and humans that could tear a god apart with their bare hands."

Vivi snorted. "Yeah, well, tall tales run on both sides of the death line, and details get blown way out of proportion. I'm sure this situation won't merit that kind of reaction."

"So why don't you come have a seat." Arthur led her over to the kitchen table, pulling out a chair. "Tell us what you know, and we can go from there."

…..

**Note:** The End of the Thicker Than Water series… AS FAR AS I KNOW SO FAR. My brain DOES STUFF sometimes years down the line. Going to switch gears and start working on a new MSA fic as soon as I have a title for it, so keep eyes peeled! There may also be a few chapters added to Where The Heart Is, we'll see. Thanks for joining on this crazy ride! ALSO as I may be going back to do some revisions/fixes, I'd appreciate any general/specific feedback you may have on this story, the series as a whole, etc!


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